De La Fuente: All Matches Will Be Difficult, and Our Goal Is Always to Win
Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of the Spain national team, commented on the results of the 2026 World Cup draw, emphasizing that the group including Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde will be tough and will require full concentration from the very first match.
De La Fuente said, "The competitors are complex, and each has its own characteristics. I saw the difficulty of all the groups; the matches will be very tough." He continued, emphasizing that there is no room for relaxation in a tournament of this scale, pointing out that any negligence could have consequences.
The Spanish coach added that he appreciates the praise coming from abroad regarding Spain's nomination, but he considers it recognition of Spanish football rather than a guarantee of anything. He said, "Compliments do not guarantee anything, and they will not weaken us. We have a great responsibility to deliver something significant in the World Cup."
He continued, explaining that the real start will be from the group stage, and said: "We must advance steadily and continue to improve with each match."
De la Fuente explained his concerns regarding travel between cities during the tournament, saying: "What worries me is that there aren't long distances or too many transfers between matches. We will see how the match schedule looks and then assess the situation."
He added: "After announcing the schedules, we will make the final decision regarding the place of residence. Our travel department has extensive experience and will make the best decision."
Regarding the goal of topping the group, De La Fuente said: "Finishing first is always important because of what can happen in the knockout stages, but I spoke with Scaloni, and if one of us slips up, we might face each other as well. What we can control is what concerns us."
De la Fuente emphasized that he does not underestimate any team in the group, saying: "Cape Verde is participating for the first time, and Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in Qatar. I consider all of them equally challenging." He stressed the importance of securing victories in the first two matches before facing Uruguay in the final round.
De La Fuente said, "The competitors are complex, and each has its own characteristics. I saw the difficulty of all the groups; the matches will be very tough." He continued, emphasizing that there is no room for relaxation in a tournament of this scale, pointing out that any negligence could have consequences.
The Spanish coach added that he appreciates the praise coming from abroad regarding Spain's nomination, but he considers it recognition of Spanish football rather than a guarantee of anything. He said, "Compliments do not guarantee anything, and they will not weaken us. We have a great responsibility to deliver something significant in the World Cup."
He continued, explaining that the real start will be from the group stage, and said: "We must advance steadily and continue to improve with each match."
De la Fuente explained his concerns regarding travel between cities during the tournament, saying: "What worries me is that there aren't long distances or too many transfers between matches. We will see how the match schedule looks and then assess the situation."
He added: "After announcing the schedules, we will make the final decision regarding the place of residence. Our travel department has extensive experience and will make the best decision."
Regarding the goal of topping the group, De La Fuente said: "Finishing first is always important because of what can happen in the knockout stages, but I spoke with Scaloni, and if one of us slips up, we might face each other as well. What we can control is what concerns us."
De la Fuente emphasized that he does not underestimate any team in the group, saying: "Cape Verde is participating for the first time, and Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in Qatar. I consider all of them equally challenging." He stressed the importance of securing victories in the first two matches before facing Uruguay in the final round.
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