Football
Euro 2024 – Spain v France: How training in sandals sparked Spanish into life – BBC Sport
Appearances can be deceptive.
Luis de la Fuente may look more like a civil servant than a top-flight football coach but he has shown enough – both at Euro 2024 and in the past – to suggest that anyone who underestimates his capabilities, and those of his Spain side, do so at their peril.
They may have gone into this tournament as unfancied outsiders but enter Tuesday’s semi-final against France as probably the most in-form team and considered by many as favourites for the title.
Spain haven’t won a major tournament since they defended their European crown in 2012 – sandwiching the 2010 World Cup triumph – and there is real excitement now across the nation.
‘The federation mislaid their boots’
Everything fell in place back in September last year in Georgia during the qualifiers.
Somehow the Spanish football federation managed to mislay the players’ boots which meant they had to spend an evening training in sandals.
It galvanised the group and built a real team spirit that can be seen in abundance now.
Then in the game that followed the two wingers, Dani Olmo and Marco Asensio, were both injured and replaced by Nico Williams and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal before the break.
It was the first time the two youngsters had played together – two totally different wide players from who they were replacing, who enjoy the one-on-ones and can spend the match playing outside.
Both scored, Georgia were turned over 7-1 – and Spain have never looked back.
Williams and Yamal have been the standout stars of the tournament so far, terrorising defenders on either flank.
‘A man devoid of ego’
De la Fuente is the most unlikely type of person to put all this together.
A man almost totally devoid of ego, and someone who believes that it is the team, rather than individuals, that matters most.
As he said in his media conference after the quarter-final win over Germany, the work is done in the selection of players and preparation of the game.
As far as selection he has a group of players, the base of which comes from the U19 and U21 victories in previous European Championships.
Olmo, Fabian Ruiz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino and Unai Simon were all part of those successes. While in his side that finished as silver medallists at the Tokyo Olympics were Marc Cucurella and Pedri.
Like the Spain side from the 2008-2012 glory years, many of these players have known each other for up to ten years and this helps to create a close-knit club atmosphere in a national team environment.
Add to that the new generation in the form of outrageously gifted wingmen Williams and Yamal and you have got a real special blend.
And to the TikTok generation you can add the old man of the group in the shape of 39-year-old Jesus Navas – the last remaining member of the old, great, Spain.
You also have Dani Carvajal, currently the best right-back in the world, Rodri, effectively the team’s coach on the pitch and Alvaro Morata, who is very happy in his role as captain and leader looking after the youngsters in the squad.
‘We want the ball and we are better’
Spain’s loss of midfielder Pedri thanks to an unpunished challenge by Toni Kroos was a hammer blow that could have seriously derailed the team.
Not just because he is a great young player, but because of his overall importance to the gameplan as a whole.
But it was the team ethic that finally saw Spain prevail against Germany in the Battle of Stuttgart, a match with the greatest number of fouls of any so far in this tournament (39), 15 yellow cards and one red.
Just before extra time De la Fuente told his players: “We want the ball and we are better. And above anything else what we have to do is make sure we help out team-mates.”
Spain’s victory against Germany was the first time they have beaten a host nation in a major competition.
And it came about because within the ‘band of brothers’ team mentality, no-one hid from the personal duels they all faced on the pitch. Everyone played their part.
Every game so far has provided a different test for this Spain side and in every case they have risen to the task.
Against Croatia it was about winning the possession battle, while the Italy game once again served as a reminder as to where we are placed in the international pecking order.
Against Albania and then Georgia we showed that we could win the contest against two sides that were always going to defend deep.
Against Germany, Spain may well have ridden their luck but most importantly never lost focus.
In the end they played three games in one, firstly with the threat down the flanks with the young wingers, before a failed attempt to take control of the centre when they were replaced, and then finally with another striker in a 4-2-4 formation in extra time which paid dividends.
This Spanish side earned their luck for having the courage of their convictions, daring to change the script.
By the end of proceedings Nacho could hardly move, Laporte was doubled up with pain in his back, while Rodri, who has played more than 5,000 minutes this season, was out on his feet.
In a performance so team-driven, it seems almost like bad manners to single out one particular player.
But Olmo – on from the seventh minute following Pedri’s injury – shone like a beacon.
He now has five assists in two European Championships – a Spain record – and was the scorer of their first and provider of Merino’s match-winner.
But perhaps his greatest success was remaining unfazed by the pressure put on him by Germany, and acting as chief organiser of the game as he set about putting on a performance for his country that will be talked about for years.
With France up next there is a respectful belief within the Spain camp that they have it in them to take the next step to renewed glory.
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