Changes after EURO
The link between Luis de la Fuente's past and future seems to have been broken in just over a year. Yet his Spain team seems to have remained unchanged.
That means still winning, or at least not losing. “La Roja” are now on a 28-match unbeaten run (excluding friendlies), just one match behind Vicente del Bosque’s record (29) and three behind leaders Italy (31).
For Spain, there is no problem combining the experience of Aymeric Laporte (31) and Rodri (29) with the youth of Lamine Yamal (18) and Nico Williams (22), or mixing Pau Cubarsi and Zubimendi with Yeremy Pino and Ferran Torres.
“We are lucky to have a generation of young players who are great and full of potential. That is a reason to be proud, not to worry. We have to be happy about that,” coach De la Fuente emphasized in the 2-0 win over Georgia at Martinez Valero Stadium.
It was Spain's third consecutive win in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers without conceding a goal, after defeating Bulgaria (3-0) and Turkey (6-0).
De la Fuente's compliments to his players were not just polite, but were based on the team's performance.
When Spain ascend to the top of Europe in Berlin 2024, the main axis of the squad will be Laporte in defense, Rodri in midfield, and two of the world's most talented wingers: Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.
None of them were available last weekend. Laporte was added; Rodri is still struggling with injuries at Man City. Nico and Lamine are both on the injury list.
For Nico Williams, it is only known that there was a lot of frustration in Bilbao when the iconic star got injured during the September training session – just like Yamal.
Nico's name is nowhere to be found; meanwhile, Yamal's name is constantly mentioned, from Hansi Flick to De la Fuente, and of course on social media.
The Barcelona coach complained that in the national team “they don't know how to take care of the players” , while De la Fuente responded that his German colleague “lacks empathy” .
Another Planet Soccer Team
In the meantime, Yamal took advantage of his pubic muscle injury to rest with girlfriend Nicky Nicole in Croatia , even taking a helicopter ride and posting pictures on Instagram.
“It’s just a matter of youth, this guy is really funny” , a Federation official said half-jokingly. On De la Fuente’s coaching staff, people were more worried: “Barca is closer to him, someone should advise him about living and sharing on the internet” .
Without Lamine Yamal and Williams, Spain still easily won against Georgia. “We all kept the same rhythm, we were still in the same orbit. Each player has his own characteristics, we knew who was on the field and what to do,” Mikel Oyarzabal analyzed.
“We know the potential of each player, they are different. That helps us maintain a recognizable playing model, but each player has his own personal touch,” added De la Fuente.
I don't worry about having to make substitutions because the team's identity is very clear. We are a team that likes to keep the ball, but always moves forward aggressively . "
He was not the only one to praise his team. “ There is nothing to say. We tried our best, but when Spain are at this level you have no chance. They play on another planet ,” admitted Georgia coach Willy Sagnol.
De la Fuente responded calmly: “Compliments are natural in this profession, but don’t go too far. The upcoming challenge will be even more difficult, not because of the opponent but because of our own strict requirements. This team is fantastic.”
Not only is the main frame missing, if compared to the starting lineup in the final in Berlin, there are only 3 recent starters: Unai Simon, Le Normand and Cucurella.
Without the “past” of Laporte and Rodri, nor the “future” of Lamine and Nico, Spain changes without changing.
Now, meeting Bulgaria again at Jose Zorrilla (1:45 a.m. on October 15), De la Fuente is just one step away from equaling Del Bosque's record and taking one step closer to the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tay-ban-nha-doi-tuyen-den-tu-hanh-tinh-khac-2452589.html
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