The Spanish national team coach Luis de la Fuente made press statements after qualifying for the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League at the expense of the Dutch national team via penalties.

The first leg ended 2-2, and the second leg ended 3-3, leading both teams to penalties, which smiled in favor of Spain 5-4.

The coach said: "Playing in extra time and penalties adds a greater epic value to the qualifiers. It was a wonderful match, for the fans more than the coaches, for sure. But, in short, I think we saw a great scene."

He added: "When we talk about suffering, it seems to carry a negative connotation. I don't understand sports without suffering. In such circumstances, we feel at ease. This team is insatiable, ambitious, and we want to continue winning things."

Regarding the five substitutes successfully scoring penalties while Yamal failed to execute them successfully: "It's not because they are substitutes, but because they entered the field. Yes, it's true that the last two substitutions, especially the last one, were thoughtful. And now Lamine is upset, but he's happy. He gave us what we needed from him, but he continues to grow and mature, and I'm still fine with him."

On Pedri's participation as a substitute: "It was a tactical matter. We thought he should come in at that time. Pedri is a genius."

On Huysin: "He looked like he had been competing with us for a long time. He's a great boy and contributes a lot. We are very happy. Another person joins this cause and this family that continues to grow."

On Merino and Oyarzabal: "They are football players with confirmed values. They possess exceptional football talent. They are mature, always deliver reliable performances, and off the field, they inspire a lot of calmness."

On Mingueza's starting participation: "We wanted to refresh the team a bit, at the beginning they played. We were looking for depth with Mikel Oyarzabal, and Oscar has a vision for the game. He has the ability and talent and translates the game well. I wished the score would stay 3-0, of course, but that is very difficult."

On the penalties: "We decided on the first five who would score, and the sixth as well, with Pedri. Everything is trained here, and we try to prepare the details, but the player's attitude and performance are important here."

He concluded: "Do you see any limits for this team? I think this national team is very young, and has a long history, and the important thing is the players' attitude. They are insatiable, they want to continue competing, they want to compete to win. But these are just details. If I'm a bit harsh now, I remember that two years ago a bright person said it was just a simple competition, in the semi-finals of the Nations League there are three world champions and one European champion. They can overcome us, but we will fight. I hope the national team stays here for a long time, but you can't win all the time.