Luis de la Fuente spoke with reporters after Spain beat France 5-4 to reach the Nations League final. The Spanish coach felt happy about defeating one of the world's best teams during such an exciting match. De la Fuente said his players took their chances well and scored five goals against tough opponents. He praised his team for showing high skill levels throughout the contest. The coach believed Spain deserved to win because they played better football.
De la Fuente expected France to fight back hard during the second half of the match. He called France a strong opponent with talented players who never give up easily. The Spanish coach knew his team would face pressure from such quality opposition. He said matches against top teams always create difficult moments for both sides. De la Fuente thinks every game against elite opponents should end with lots of excitement.
The coach praised goalkeeper Unai Simon and winger Lamine Yamal for their excellent performances. De la Fuente said critics have been unfair to Simon for a long time without good reason. He called Yamal the best player in the world right after the match ended. The coach believes Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d'Or award because he proves his talent during important games. De la Fuente said both players showed their quality when Spain needed them most.
Spain will face Portugal during the Nations League final next Sunday. De la Fuente expects another thrilling match between two teams that love attacking football. The Spanish coach feels excited about playing Portugal because both countries have skilled players. He thinks the final could produce as many goals as the France match did. De la Fuente wants his team to play with the same energy they showed against the French squad.
De la Fuente expected France to fight back hard during the second half of the match. He called France a strong opponent with talented players who never give up easily. The Spanish coach knew his team would face pressure from such quality opposition. He said matches against top teams always create difficult moments for both sides. De la Fuente thinks every game against elite opponents should end with lots of excitement.
The coach praised goalkeeper Unai Simon and winger Lamine Yamal for their excellent performances. De la Fuente said critics have been unfair to Simon for a long time without good reason. He called Yamal the best player in the world right after the match ended. The coach believes Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d'Or award because he proves his talent during important games. De la Fuente said both players showed their quality when Spain needed them most.
Spain will face Portugal during the Nations League final next Sunday. De la Fuente expects another thrilling match between two teams that love attacking football. The Spanish coach feels excited about playing Portugal because both countries have skilled players. He thinks the final could produce as many goals as the France match did. De la Fuente wants his team to play with the same energy they showed against the French squad.
