Cucurella: Good Defense is the First Step to Victory

Spain continues its flawless run at the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, securing another clean sheet and eliminating Portugal (1-0) en route to the quarterfinals. One of the key defensive heroes for "La Roja" once again was left-back Marc Cucurella. He executed his tasks perfectly on the field in Texas, and after the triumphant outcome, he openly expressed his immense satisfaction with the team's collective performance. The defender highlighted the squad's psychological resilience during tough moments under pressure and the overwhelming joy in the locker room.

"We are happy, truly very happy. The match was incredibly balanced; there were moments when we had to suffer on the pitch, but the team remained focused every single second," Cucurella stated.

He specifically drew attention to Spain's phenomenal streak of clean sheets at this World Cup but was quick to emphasize that defensive actions are the responsibility of the entire squad.

"It's very important that we didn't concede a goal again. When you have a good defense, you're always one step closer to ultimate victory. But here, in this team, we defend right from the forward. We always act together," the defender added.

He was also assigned the toughest task of the match – neutralizing Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Cucurella expressed immense respect for the Portuguese legend but noted that Luis de la Fuente's defensive plan worked excellently.

"We did a very good job against him. He is a true legend of the sport. We managed his containment excellently, not allowing him to feel comfortable on the field, although he still managed to get off a few dangerous shots," the Spaniard concluded.