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Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente fired back at England manager Thomas Tuchel after the German coach mentioned he would "take our five minutes to inform the players" about the anti-racism protocol ahead of England's UEFA Nations League fixture in Spain.
England, scheduled to play at the Metropolitano Stadium in the final UEFA Nations League group stage match, makes its first trip to Madrid since 2004. It was during that international friendly at the Bernabéu that former Three Lions stars Ashley Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Rio Ferdinand, among others, faced racial abuse from the crowd. The Spanish football federation was later fined over the incidents.
Tuchel's remarks came in response to a question about how he and his squad would handle racist abuse during Sunday's long-awaited return to the Spanish capital.
De la Fuente was similarly questioned on the matter on the eve of the England clash and gave a spirited reply when asked whether Tuchel's statement implied that Spanish football still has significant progress to make in combating racism.
"I could say the opposite," De la Fuente said. "What I can tell you, and please pass this on to Thomas [Tuchel], is that there is no racism in Spain. It's as simple as that — there's no racism. Just like in England, there is no racism in Spain. None of us are racists."
Tuchel Says His Words Were 'Twisted' on Topic of Racism in Spain
De la Fuente's heated response appeared to lack the full context of Tuchel's original comments, which the England manager later addressed, visibly frustrated by how his words had been "twisted."
"I was courteous enough to answer a question from your colleagues," Tuchel said on Saturday. "And then you go and ask the opposing coach, telling him I spoke about racism in Spain. It's a perfect example of how things get distorted, because I never mentioned racism in Spain.
"I politely answered a question about what might happen — I never anticipate racism, and the dressing room is the most anti-racist place on earth. That's exactly how it works: you create unnecessary confusion out of nothing. It's a perfect example of how things should not be handled."
"It got twisted," Tuchel added. "Because I said I always expect a welcoming atmosphere, and when playing away, I expect passionate fans backing Spain's national team. That's what I anticipate.
"But I don't expect racism anywhere, and I'm shocked when it occurs — it should happen nowhere. I'm the first to stand up for those values. Then I was asked 'what would happen if,' and I said there's a protocol in place if it does. That's all.
"But my belief is that we'll have a friendly atmosphere, one that's clearly behind the Spanish team, and that football does what it does best: bring people together rather than divide them. That's 100% clear."
De la Fuente Ignores Recent Issues of Racism in Spanish Soccer
While De la Fuente's reaction to Tuchel may stem from a misunderstanding, the Spanish coach is also clearly overlooking the numerous racist incidents that have tarnished Spanish football in recent years.
Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has faced racial abuse at multiple La Liga venues, and he even pursued legal action against Valencia supporters for racially abusing him during a match at Mestalla Stadium in 2023.
Earlier in 2026, Spanish supporters at Espanyol's stadium in Barcelona directed anti-Muslim chants at players during a friendly against Egypt. Spain international Lamine Yamal — who is Muslim — subsequently condemned the "ignorant and racist" chants.
Spain's federation was handed a €20,000 ($22,000) fine, and La Roja was required to play in a partially closed stadium during their first match of the September–October international window as a consequence.