Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, characterized the 1-0 victory over Portugal in the World Cup Round of 16 as a “final before the final,” commending his team’s performance and resilience. Spain advanced to the quarterfinals following a goal by Mikel Merino in added time, marking a highly contested match that remained competitive until the final whistle. Speaking after the game, De la Fuente described the encounter as “truly a fantastic match, a final before the final.” He noted that, as anticipated, the team faced difficulties until the very last moments of play.
The Spanish coach highlighted the team’s comprehensive performance, placing significant credit on the players who contributed from the substitutes’ bench. “We played a very complete match. The most important players were those who entered from the bench,” he stated.
Mikel Merino’s decisive goal proved crucial in securing the win. The victory allows Spain to progress deeper into the tournament, building momentum for the subsequent stages. De la Fuente’s comments underscore the belief that the team’s collective effort and tactical depth were key to achieving this important result, treating the match as a significant precursor to the ultimate goal.
Topics: #final #fuente #before
