De la Fuente: The draw with Cape Verde served as a lesson

Spain's manager, Luis de la Fuente, stated that his team learned valuable lessons from their surprising goalless draw against Cape Verde in their opening match and must continue to improve ahead of their final Group H World Cup game against Uruguay on Friday. The coach shared that the draw with Cape Verde forced the Spaniards to step up their game, leading to a much-improved performance in their 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia. De la Fuente dismissed any suggestions that Spain might settle for a draw against Uruguay.

"I only know how to play to win."

He defended winger Nico Williams's claim that Spain is the best team, saying the squad's confidence is always balanced with respect for their opponents.

De la Fuente described Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay as a physically and tactically astute team, adding that it would be an honour to face a coach he greatly admires. The manager labelled Lamine Yamal a developing "genius" and praised Mikel Oyarzabal's football intelligence, saying the forward continues to impress him. The Spanish coach hinted that he might give some of the substitutes a chance to play but said he would make a final decision on his lineup after the team's last training session.

"Lamine is an 18-year-old boy who is in a period of maturing, of growth. He has a unique talent and is destined to become a football genius. He is an 18-year-old who knows how to withstand media pressure and become a great footballer. He is growing, and we must guide him. That is Lamine Yamal. He is very focused on the path he must follow," stated De la Fuente.