The RFEF honours Santi Denia’s work with a warm tribute

The Royal Spanish Football Federation wished to say farewell this Thursday, with full honours, to Santi Denia, who leaves the institution after 15 years as coach of various ranks of Spanish youth teams. During this time, the coach from Castilla-La Mancha has led 220 matches and won a U-17 European Championships, a U-19 European Championships, and Olympic Gold at the Paris 2024 Games, in addition to many other successes as assistant coach.

After all these accolades, the president of the RFEF, Rafael Louzán, who presented him with a commemorative shirt bearing the number 220 representing all those matches in charge of Spain’s youth teams, expressed his gratitude and recognition for the coach’s years of work and dedication. "Thank you, and thank you forever, to Santi Denia for everything he has done and for all his effort, loyalty, and commitment to the Royal Spanish Football Federation," declared the head of Spanish football.

Surrounded by his family — both his wife and children, and the family formed by the workers of the Royal Spanish Football Federation — Denia emphasised the value of the people at the Federation and their professionalism, highlighting that these have been the best 15 years of his life: “I want to thank my colleagues, who have made me a better coach and a better person. The people who have stood by me and shown me great affection. We are the best football federation in the world thanks to your work, you are the best. You are the heart and soul, you are the engine of the Federation.”

In addition to many of the RFEF staff close to the coach, the event was attended by Luis de la Fuente, men’s national team coach, and Montse Tomé, women’s national team coach, who briefly left the Spanish Women’s training camp at La Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas to support her colleague in this very emotional and heartfelt farewell.

"We are the best in the world, and I send my thanks to everyone for these 15 years, for this journey that has been the best of my life. I will miss you — I love you all dearly," concluded Santi Denia. Álex González, kit manager of the Spain U-21 team, also took part in the speeches, reading a beautiful letter dedicated to the coach, who leaves with the affection of all the RFEF staff.