On the eve of the Euro final between Spain and England, Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente spoke to UEFA to share his deep connection to English soccer, his assessment of the young players and his outlook for the final.
De la Fuente began by recalling the spectacle of the 1982 World Cup in Bilbao, which he said was a wonderful starting point for his relationship with English soccer. He mentioned a friendly match between Athletic Bilbao and the England national team at the time, as well as a later thrilling match against Liverpool at Anfield, all of which gave him a keen interest in English soccer. De La Fuente admits that he has always been a big fan of English soccer, appreciating its direct, fast and always attacking style, and believes that the modern English team has a lot in common with the Spanish team in terms of soccer philosophy.
Speaking about England's young player Bellingham, De La Fuente spoke highly of him. He revealed that he noticed the talented player two years ago and voted for him in the European Player of the Year competition. De la Fuente described Bellingham as a player who combines strength, skill, agility and elegance with innate talent and goal-scoring ability, and is a very important member of the England squad. He also praised Bellingham's performance on the pitch from an aesthetic point of view, describing him as extremely watchable.
De la Fuente then turned the conversation to Spain's young talent, Yamal. After beating France, he had used an ancient Roman phrase about Caesar to describe Yamal's outstanding performance. This time, he once again paid high praise to Yamal and emphasized the need for Yamal to remain humble and mature to deal with the ups and downs in his soccer career. According to De La Fuente, Yamal's talent is rare, but what is more important is how he maintains the right values and professionalism as he grows up. As coaches and shapers, it is their responsibility to help Yamal maintain these qualities to make him a better person and soccer player in the future.
For the upcoming final against England, de la Fuente said the team is well prepared. He believes that the Spanish team has enough strength and team spirit to meet this challenge and hopes that the team can show their best form in the match and bring glory to the whole country. At the same time, he also has high hopes for young players such as Yamal, hoping that they will be able to fulfill their potential in such an important game and contribute to the team's victory.
