Spain face toughest World Cup test against Belgium: Coach de la Fuente
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Spain coach Luis de la Fuente backed Lamine Yamal’s attacking quality to make the difference when it mattered.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Spain coach Luis de la Fuente says Belgium will be their toughest World Cup test after reaching quarter-finals without conceding a goal.
- Spain rely on team effort and balanced play, with young forward Lamine Yamal expected to provide key attacking inspiration.
- The winner of Spain v Belgium will face France in the semi-finals, but Spain remain fully focused on beating Belgium first.
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LOS ANGELES – Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said on July 9 that Belgium would provide his side’s sternest test yet in the World Cup quarter-finals, with his team having reached the last eight without conceding a goal.
Among the favourites to lift the trophy, Spain booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Portugal and have grown into the tournament with a balanced side that is comfortable in possession, solid in defence and boasts enough attacking quality to trouble any opponent.
“Tomorrow’s game will be the hardest that we've faced to this point,” de la Fuente told reporters in SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, pointing out that Belgium’s experienced squad includes players with proven pedigree at some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
“Belgium are a very powerful team. These are players who are used to winning. It’s going to be a challenging match.”
The winners of the July 10 game in Los Angeles will face France in the July 14 semi-final in Dallas after Les Bleus earlier beat Morocco 2-0, with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Asked about the prospect of meeting France, de la Fuente said he watched the game and thought the French were the better team, but said Spain were completely focused on Belgium.
“Trust me, we are only thinking about Belgium tomorrow,” he said.
While Spain have looked imperious at the back, they are likely to look for attacking inspiration from 18-year-old Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal, who has already scored four goals at the tournament.
Lamine, regarded as one of the world’s brightest young talents, has scored only once at the World Cup so far, well behind leading marksmen Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who have eight goals apiece.
However, de la Fuente said Yamal had shown growing maturity, pointing to the teenager’s defensive contribution in Spain’s win over Portugal, and backed his attacking quality to make the difference when it mattered.
“He’s going to perform on the attacking front – that’s very clear,” said the manager. “He’s got incredible potential. And, of course, this is yet to come in some respects.
“We know that the best version of him, the attacking Lamine, is something that we haven’t quite seen yet in this World Cup. Not to the level that we’re used to.
“He doesn’t need extra motivation. You actually sometimes have to calm his intensity. He’s very motivated – he wants to do so much.”
The coach added that Spain’s success had been built on collective effort rather than individual brilliance, stressing that every player had put the team first.
“What is bad for the hive is also bad for the bee,” de la Fuente said, invoking a quote attributed to the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. REUTERS, AFP