Spain's national team coach Luis de la Fuente expressed his great happiness with the outstanding performance his team delivered in the crushing 6-0 victory over Turkey in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, affirming his pride in his players and the way they represent the national team.

He said in press statements: "You are talking to a coach who is proud of his players, his team, and representing our country in this way. I am very happy to see this continuous growth; we have a group that understands the message quickly. We were not satisfied with last Thursday's match, and we did not want to repeat the same mistakes. We needed a match like this to show that we are a team that does not tire of working and improving."

Regarding Nico Williams' injury: "It's an unfortunate loss. He has a slight discomfort in his adductor. We will conduct tests tomorrow, but it seems to be a muscular injury."

On Morata's gesture of handing the captain's armband to Rodri: "This team has great generosity. Álvaro Morata is a great example for us. I never stop talking about him and how proud I am to have him as a captain. His decision to give up the armband elevates his value even more."

He added: "We have wonderful players. Mikel Merino is an exceptional player; he does everything perfectly, and he is among the global elite. Unfortunately, in Spain, he does not receive the recognition he deserves. Humble players like him are what make football evolve."

The coach said in a press conference in the press room: "There is a lot for us to improve because this team is capable of growing more than I can imagine. The players are not satisfied, and we are already thinking about how to be better."

He continued: "What do you take the most pride in after 27 matches unbeaten? I take pride in the group and the players. They have not stopped evolving since they were young, and they still want more. They have amazing competitive genes."

Regarding the goals that came from tiki-taka style and also from quick counterattacks, he commented: "We know the capabilities of our players. We give them a system in which they feel comfortable and have clear ideas. The collective level was exceptional."

He noted: "Did you come close to perfection against Turkey? We must be humble. One of the most important features of this team is that it will not lose its humility. We have the best players in the world, but they are also great people, and they will not waste success due to arrogance."

He concluded: "Do you see Pedri as a future Ballon d'Or candidate? Pedri is the best in the world in his position; that is the truth. Unfortunately, football has not been fair to Spaniards historically, as happened with Iniesta, Xavi, and Xabi Alonso. We have names like Lamine and Fabian who are candidates, but Pedri, Merino, Zubimendi, and others also deserve it. Pedri is an exceptional player."