De la Fuente: I was convinced we could turn the result around, and we want to keep winning

Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of the Spain national team, praised the character shown by his players during the 2-1 victory over Croatia, affirming that the team did not give up despite the difficulty of the match and the surrounding atmosphere.

De la Fuente said in statements to "Teledeporte": "They are wonderful players, and they never give up. I am the first to be amazed by them. In an atmosphere like the one you witnessed, we managed to overcome everything, and in the second half, we appeared better. It is a victory of great value."

The Spanish coach spoke about the difficulty of facing Croatia, explaining: "The match went as we expected. They are a great team with a lot of stature, and their pride was hurt. We continued to work and wear them down, and in the second half, we controlled the match, although they created some danger from counter-attacks, which is normal. I was convinced that we would be able to turn the result around."

De la Fuente particularly praised Mikel Merino, who scored two goals for Spain after coming off the bench, saying: "Mikel Merino is one of the best players in the world in his position. He has the level to play in any team, and he can always play, of course. He knows how to understand such moments in matches, he has that special thing, which is scoring goals, and more importantly. We are grateful to him because he is always ready to help."

Spain's coach confirmed that the national team achieved its goal but emphasized the ongoing ambition, stating: "The aim is to keep winning. We have reached 42 consecutive matches without defeat, and we want to continue, 43 then 44 then 45."

De la Fuente expressed his pride in the current group, stating: "It is a source of pride and great luck to have these players."