Speaking in a flash interview immediately after the final whistle, De la Fuente reflected on what the achievement meant.
"We are world champions," he said. "I'm happy and proud of the players. We've closed a hugely important chapter. We've won in every category. What's more, this is a team with a long road still ahead of it. We're already thinking about what comes next."
Asked what came to mind in the moment, he added: "I remember my parents and my brother, proud to be Spanish and to keep going in this direction." On the performance itself, he said: "We played a really good match. Only Dibu's great saves stopped us. Winning is hard; that's why you have to appreciate it when you achieve it."
De la Fuente expanded further in his subsequent press conference, opening by confirming the sense of destiny that had surrounded the campaign.
"With pride and happiness, it was written," he said. "You told me that yourself on the very first day. Thank God, we have been world champions."
Asked what it felt like inside the dressing room, he turned his praise towards his staff and squad.
"I want to thank my coaching staff. Without them it's impossible to achieve anything," he said. "What are we feeling in there? Happiness must be something like this. It's pride, satisfaction, recognition for a group of people. It's an honour. I have players who are good people, and it's possible: good people, supportive, with values, are capable of forming a genuine team. You can go far with people like that. We were convinced this was our final, and I think it was an almost perfect match."
Asked about his emotions when Ferran Torres scored the winning goal, De la Fuente drew a parallel with Spain's 2010 triumph.
"I remember that moment with Vicente [del Bosque, after Iniesta's winner]," he said. "It's happened to us before too. It felt like a story we had already lived through. It was impossible to stay calm."
He also revealed what he told his players before extra time began.
"Gentlemen, we have a date with history. We're going to get there first," he said he told them beforehand. "And in extra time I just reminded them that we were doing a great job, but that any lapse in concentration could cost us dearly. After the match finished, some players said to me, what's left for us to win? Well, the next match in September against England."
On the value of having worked with many of these players since they were teenagers, he said: "When you arrive and think about everything we've been through, you think about the process. We have spectacular raw material, and a spectacular way of competing. This goes back many years, and this group of players has it, which is impressive."
Asked about his emotional embrace with Argentina counterpart Lionel Scaloni after the match, De la Fuente said: "We hugged, we thanked each other, and I'm grateful for everything he's taught me. He's very young, he has a lot of football ahead of him. I think today we deserved to win."
He also had special praise for two of his forwards.
"I have to give credit to Lamine [Yamal]. He knew how to play a different kind of football. We're very grateful that he sacrificed himself for the good of the group. In my opinion he's had a great World Cup," De la Fuente said.
"And with Ferran, I'll say that life is fair. And to those who fall and get back up, it always gives something back. It's already history now, but he's earned it and he deserves it."
Asked whether he would remain in charge until 2030, he stopped short of a firm commitment.
"We're where we want to be and I feel privileged," he said. "Success, as I said before, is having good travelling companions. That's the only credit we can take. We're in no rush about anything. I won't say we're already thinking about September, but almost. We'll think match by match."
Asked, finally, about his players' promise to get tattoos of his face, De la Fuente laughed off the suggestion.
"They're serious people. But they're going to follow through because they're men of their word," he said. "If you say something, you have to follow through on it. Let's hope they get it somewhere it doesn't show too much."