Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has revealed that his squad is motivated by the criticism following their surprising 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, and he expects a strong response when they face Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The European champions arrived in North America as tournament favorites but struggled to break down a disciplined Cape Verde side, which has a population of just over 500,000.
De la Fuente Confident in Team's Response
Speaking at his pre-match press conference in Atlanta on Saturday, De la Fuente said, "This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up... It's going to be a completely different story." He added, "There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow."
Spain's Unbeaten Run from Open Play
Despite the draw, Spain has an impressive record of 32 competitive games unbeaten from open play, spanning over three years. De la Fuente praised his team's character: "This team has a lot of heart and always responds. I am sure tomorrow we will be better than what we showed the other day."
Lamine Yamal's Fitness a Key Concern
The fitness of teenage winger Lamine Yamal has been the dominant topic of Spain's World Cup campaign. The 18-year-old, who starred in Spain's Euro 2024 victory, only made a second-half substitute appearance against Cape Verde after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in April. He is not yet ready for a full 90 minutes, but there is pressure on De la Fuente to start him, as Spain lacked attacking spark without him. De la Fuente said, "The most important thing is that he's back."
