As Cristiano Ronaldo lifted the Nations League trophy and his Portugal teammates celebrated behind him, Spain’s gamers watched in clear disappointment.
There was no main letdown after the penalty shootout defeat in Sunday’s final in Munich, although. There had been no requires a training change. There was no blaming of gamers who underperformed.
The feeling was that Spain remains to be heading in the right direction.
Before leaving the sphere, coach Luis de la Fuente gathered his gamers and made positive they remained upbeat and prepared to begin specializing in subsequent 12 months’s World Cup.
“It was time to remind them that we have to be proud of this team, of what we have been doing,” De la Fuente mentioned. “I reminded the players that I’m proud to have them in the team. Now we have to start focusing on the World Cup. I’m still counting on every one of them, on those who were here and those who couldn’t come this time.”
Spain is the European champion and as a nation has been having fun with certainly one of its greatest runs in worldwide soccer. The girls’s workforce is the World Cup and Nations League champion. La Roja additionally gained the lads’s Olympic event in France final 12 months, in addition to the 2023 Nations League.
“You can’t question what this team has been achieving,” De la Fuente mentioned. “It has been defining an era, a style, and it will continue to do so, not because of me, but because of the players that we have.”
After beating France 5-4 in the Nations League semifinals final week, Spain misplaced the final 5-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw following additional time. Striker Álvaro Morata was the one participant to miss his spot kick.
“Morata is a champion and a reference for us,” De la Fuente mentioned. “I’m responsible for his missed kick because I’m the one who asked him to take the shot.”
Martín Zubimendi (21 minutes) and Mikel Oyazarbal (45) twice gave Spain the lead however Portugal rallied with targets by Nuno Mendes in the twenty sixth and Ronaldo in the 61st.
“We have to overcome this defeat as best we can and value the positive momentum we have had in recent years,” Zubimendi mentioned. “This time we let the title slip away because of details. We have to keep our feet on the ground. We have been used to winning. Since I joined the national team I’ve only experienced positive things.”
De la Fuente took over from Luis Enrique following defeat to Morocco in the spherical of 16 on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He not too long ago had his contract renewed by the Spanish soccer federation till 2028 and the subsequent Euros.
He is main a workforce with a vivid future thanks to younger stars similar to 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Pedri, Gavi, Dean Huijsen and Pau Cubarsí.
Spain’s subsequent match is in Bulgaria on Sept. 4 in the World Cup qualifiers.
Published – June 10, 2025 04:01 am IST
