Luis De La Fuente’s new Spain deal makes him better paid than Argentina’s Scaloni but still far below Brazil’s Ancelotti

Luis De La Fuente is set to sign a contract extension with the Spanish Football Federation to remain head coach following Spain‘s 2026 World Cup triumph. The new contract reportedly elevates his annual salary above Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, while still trailing Carlo Ancelotti’s package with Brazil.

Speaking at the World Football Summit on Wednesday, September 16, RFEF president Rafael Louzan addressed several high-profile topics, focusing on preparations for the 2030 World Cup and bidding for the tournament final. However, a central priority for La Roja remains securing De La Fuente’s long-term future, with Louzan expressing strong optimism regarding the partnership.

In comments reported by Diario AS, Louzan delivered a clear endorsement of De La Fuente’s new deal: “His results and his work back him up… and the public loves and admires him. I offered to extend his contract because he wasn’t among the top 10 in financial terms. He will be. We are finalizing the agreement so that he stays a few more years. He has been here for 14 years, and I want him to be able to finish his career here. He will be here until 2030… or a bit longer.“

Alongside the pay raise, Louzan signaled plans to keep De La Fuente involved with the federation beyond the 2030 World Cup cycle. While formal announcements remain pending, the manager is set to host a press conference Friday to unveil Spain‘s squad selection for the upcoming window, where details on an extension through 2032 are expected to be finalized.

De La Fuente climbing positions as one of the best-paid coaches

De La Fuente’s existing contract ran through 2028, but consecutive major titles at Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup tipped the scales decisively in favor of a long-term commitment. Consequently, the upgraded deal provides a substantial financial raise, elevating him into the top tier of international managers.

According to reporting from Spanish outlet Cadena SER, De La Fuente’s new gross annual salary will sit between 4 million and 5 million euros ($4.5M-$5.6M USD) per season. Beyond his personal terms, the outlet revealed that De La Fuente also negotiated salary increases for his backroom coaching staff.

The contract creates a notable point of comparison with Lionel Scaloni, who executed a similar championship run with Argentina by capturing back-to-back Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup. However, Scaloni’s post-World Cup deal reportedly pays roughly 2.6 million euros ($2.9M USD) annually, meaning De La Fuente’s new terms will nearly double those of his Argentine counterpart.

Yet while the contract represents a significant raise, De La Fuente remains well behind Ancelotti at the top of the international pay scale. Having extended his contract with Brazil through 2030 prior to the World Cup, the former Real Madrid manager earns a reported 10 million euros ($11.2M USD) annually, a package that includes performance bonuses, private jet allocation, and luxury housing in Rio de Janeiro near CBF headquarters.

Top five best-paid coaches

Factoring in Luis De La Fuente’s new terms with Spain, the updated ranking of highest-paid international head coaches features the following annual figures:

1. Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil: 10.0M euros ($11.2M USD)
2. Jurgen Klopp, Germany: 7.0M euros ($7.8M USD)
3. Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT: 6.0M euros ($6.7M USD)
4. Thomas Tuchel, England: 5.8M euros ($6.5M USD)
5. Luis De La Fuente, Spain: 4.0M-5.0M euros ($4.5M-$5.6M USD)