De la Fuente: Proud of the players, and we must accept defeat

Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of the Spanish national team, expressed his pride and gratitude for what his players have delivered in recent times, despite the loss to England 3-2 in the final round of the group stage of the UEFA Nations League.

De la Fuente said in television statements, "I have nothing but words of pride and thanks for the players, and I want to highlight what we have achieved so far. Those who come after us must continue to work and try to do their best. I am proud of this wonderful journey and everything that awaits us in the next stage."

He added about the loss: "We need to know how to win and how to accept defeat. The opponent dominated us at the start and imposed their character, and although we created some chances to reach the goal, falling behind by three goals to nil affected us greatly."

De la Fuente addressed the injuries that have hit the squad, mentioning that Marc Pubill has an ankle issue, Pau Cubarsí is feeling muscular discomfort, and Martín Zubimendi is suffering from a physical problem.

He concluded: "The players gave their all. It is unfortunate that we could not at least secure a draw, but I am proud, I repeat, of this wonderful group of players."