Not even in the top 10: Inside Luis de la Fuente’s salary and contract length with World Cup champions Spain
A study published by British outlet The Mirror ahead of the World Cup revealed that Ancelotti, the tournament’s highest-paid manager, pulled in five times the salary of the eventual World Cup-winning coach.
Even before the 2026 World Cup kicked off, it was striking that Spain manager Luis de la Fuente didn’t even rank among the tournament’s top ten highest-paid coaches. Today, fresh off a World Cup victory over Argentina—and considering the catastrophic collapses of teams led by those at the top of the money list—the wage gap is screaming for analysis.
A report published by British outlet The Mirror ahead of the tournament revealed the 15 highest-paid managers at the World Cup. Out of 48 head coaches, De la Fuente squeaked in right at No. 15, lightyears behind heavy hitters like Carlo Ancelotti (whose Brazil squad didn’t even survive the Round of 16 against Norway) or Julian Nagelsmann (whose Germany side crashed out in the Round of 32 to Paraguay).
How much does Luis de la Fuente make with the Spanish national team?
The Spanish manager, whose contract extension was announced in January 2025 following a Euro title run, currently earns €2 million a year. His previous deal with the RFEF was set to expire right after this World Cup. The new agreement keeps De la Fuente and his staff locked in through 2028, concluding after the Euros in the United Kingdom.
In terms of his trophy cabinet, the Rioja native has cemented himself as the most decorated manager in the history of the Spanish national team after capturing the global crown. His resume is unprecedented: a silver medal at Tokyo 2020, the 2023 Nations League title, the Euro 2024 championship, a Nations League runner-up finish in 2025, and now, the 2026 World Cup trophy.
Here is how the highest-paid managers stack up:
Ranking of the highest-paid World Cup coaches
That said, and with a résumé like that, the ranking of the fifteen highest-paid coaches during this World Cup is surprising. Here is the list.
| Coach | National team | Salary in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Carlo Ancelotti | Brazil | 10 million |
| Julian Nagelsmann | Germany | 7 million |
| Mauricio Pochettino | United States | 6 million |
| Thomas Tuchel | England | 5.8 million |
| Roberto Martínez | Portugal | 4 million |
| Fabio Cannavaro | Uzbekistan | 4 million |
| Didier Deschamps | France | 3.8 million |
| Ronald Koeman | Netherlands | 3 million |
| Marcelo Bielsa | Uruguay | 3 million |
| Javier Aguirre | Mexico | 2.5 million |
| Gustavo Alfaro | Paraguay | 2.5 million |
| Jesse Marsch | Canada | 2.5 million |
| Julen Lopetegui | Qatar | 2.4 million |
| Lionel Scaloni | Argentina | 2.3 million |
| Luis de la Fuente | Spain | 2 million |
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