Luis de la Fuente was delighted after Spain’s victory over England at Wembley in the opening round of the Nations League group stage.
“We’re very happy with the result, with the performance, with the feeling we’ve created and, above all, with the fact that we’ve shown the world this team has huge ambition and has no intention of stopping winning,” the Spain head coach told Teledeporte.
“Against a top-class opponent, we controlled the game for most of the match. There were spells when we had to suffer, defend and find ways to contain England’s footballing talent. Once again, we saw a Spain side capable of reinventing itself and determined to keep competing for the very highest honours,” De la Fuente said from inside Wembley.
“At half-time, we talked about how, apart from five or six minutes of losing our focus — when England scored both of their goals — we had the game under control, knowing, of course, that we were up against a footballing superpower. We had three very clear chances, two for Ferran and another for Cucu, and we could have built a bigger lead. The key was to keep playing the same way, knowing they would have their moments too, particularly when we lost possession, which is exactly what happened,” he added.
“The team is very serious and very mature. Even in those situations, we don’t feel uncomfortable if we have to defend in a low block. There are many different phases within a single game, and we knew how to handle all of them at the right moments. Overall, we controlled the match throughout.
“We’re eager to have more opportunities to show that this team never gives up, that we’re ready to keep developing and to get a little better every day,” the Spain boss explained.
“The luck — and the real credit — is having this group of players,” the Riojan coach said when asked about the introductions of Baena and Oyarzabal, who came off the bench to score Spain’s goals.
“Anyone who comes onto the pitch carries out the role we had prepared for them exceptionally well. The idea is to make changes and ensure that those coming on can contribute what their teammates were already contributing, while also benefiting from the work those players have already done. They understand that with remarkable naturalness and exceptional talent,” said a satisfied De la Fuente.
At his press conference, De la Fuente was also asked about Eric García, who picked up a problem with his left knee during the warm-up and was unable to take part in the match.
“He had a minor issue during the warm-up. Tomorrow, once we get back to Madrid, we’ll assess whether he can recover, provided there is absolutely no risk to the player. At the moment, it doesn’t appear to be anything serious, but we still don’t know whether he’ll be available for the next two matches. If he isn’t, we’ll consider whether we need to call up another player,” he explained.