Luis de la Fuente, on the trail of golden Spain | Soccer | Sports | EUROtoday

Spain had simply eradicated the Netherlands in penalties after a horrible tie, and Luis de la Fuente allowed one other second of declare: “Am I a bit bad?” He began, letting a smile seem, already labeled for his second consecutive Four Four. “I remember when someone two years ago, some enlightened, he said that this competition [la Nations] It is a minor competition. What an eye I had! In the semifinals, three world champions [Alemania, Francia y España] and a European champion [Portugal]. Marinera fabric. ”

That analysis was pronounced in June 2023, when the purple lifted the trophy by defeating Croatia within the closing. Maybe he didn’t shoot nice enthusiasm, however that evening Rodri already warned of what he thought he appeared: “Winning will be important to create a winning culture.” After that title, the crew undertook a path that, after imposing itself within the Eurocup final summer time, is bringing it nearer to the golden Spain that linked 2008, the 2010 World Cup and that of 2012.

De la Fuente arrived in the summertime of 2023 to the Final Four surrounded by the doubts of essential sectors of the Federation after shedding Scotland in his second recreation on the bench. But from that semifinal towards Italy to the quarterfinals of this version towards Netherlands, and leaving pleasant aside, he has chained 23 undefeated video games, the third finest streak in Spain this century, the golden period of its historical past.

Between 2007 and 2009, in line with Opta, Spain linked 24 matches with out defeat, till it fell towards the US within the semifinal of the Confederations Cup. Between 2010 and 2013, when he gained the World Cup in South Africa and the Eurocup of Poland and Ukraine, they had been 29 quotes with out shedding, till Brazil crossed within the Confederations closing.

The present streak, to a match to match the second finest, consists of weight rivals that associated to the golden age. Since 2023, La Roja has resisted 4 world champions (Italy, Germany, France and England) and two European champions (Denmark and the Netherlands).

Between 2007 and 2009, he remained undefeated towards two world champions (Italy and Germany) and two from Europe (Denmark and Greece). And between 2010 and 2013, towards 4 world champions (Germany, Italy, France and Uruguay) and three from Europe (Portugal, the Netherlands and Czech Republic).

The subsequent cease on the De La Fuente crew is the semifinal of the Nations on June 5 towards France in Stuttgart, within the stadium the place final summer time he removed Germany’s extension within the quarterfinals of the Eurocup. The closing is scheduled on June 8 in Munich, the state of affairs the place it was imposed within the semifinal of the final European Championship. The rival would go away Germany-Portugal on June 4.

“This team is insatiable and we want to continue winning,” mentioned De la Fuente on Sunday. “At this level, they can beat you, but we will always be close to winning and fighting to do it. I don’t know when it will end, I hope there is a selection for a long time, but you can’t always win.”

Immersed on this streak, the choice has develop into essentially the most fearsome opponent of the continent, essentially the most guarded on this planet. After he eradicated him on Sunday, Ronald Koeman took it as a scale to calibrate the progress of the crew he’s constructing: “If we can make two games like this against such a strong country, I think we have a lot of future. This is what we take from this game.”

The Netherlands took Spain to Spain as nobody in these two years and left a few of its weaknesses: within the two matches of the tie they scored 5 objectives, yet one more than these he acquired within the seven conferences of the final Eurocup. “We would have liked a 3-0, but we know that when we go open with such a fast team we suffer against. The important thing is the final result,” mentioned De la Fuente.

In the protection he lacked two important items in that event – Carvajal and Laporte – though he has hatched Dean Huijsen, 19, and seems within the bed room Raúl Asencio, of twenty-two, which is paying to a sensational stage at Real Madrid. On the correct facet, Pedro Porro and Mingueza tried to neglect the absence of Carvajal. It has additionally opened an unknown within the lead, with Captain Morata, 32, exiled in Turkey, a debate that postponed Oyarzabal along with his two objectives to the Netherlands. The Real striker is likely one of the items from the time during which this second was cooked with the U-19 and Sub-21 Europeans gained in 2015 and 2019 by De la Fuente.

The Sunday go to the Third Four Four adopted from Spain, after 2021 with Luis Enrique, additionally clarified the trail to the 2026 World Cup. Now his classification group might be from 4 international locations as a substitute of 5. It might be measured from September with Bulgaria, Türkiye and Georgia. The Red soccer gamers don’t disguise the ambition alluded to by their coach. “Now for the World Cup,” mentioned Nico Williams few after profitable the euro final summer time.