Spain coach Luis de la Fuente gestures throughout the Euro 2024 group A qualifying soccer match between Spain and Scotland at La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
De la Fuente additionally lamented the arrests this week in a corruption investigation, the most recent in a string of scandals which have ensnared the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente insists his squad has the “raw materials” to make a title push at Euro 2024 the place the previous champions shall be “contenders”.
The 62-12 months-outdated talked to AFP forward of Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Colombia in a pleasant worldwide on the London Stadium.
As properly as discussing the progress of his workforce, De la Fuente additionally lamented the arrests this week in a corruption investigation, the most recent in a string of scandals which have ensnared the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
“It is not good for Spanish football that attention is diverted to this other focus,” stated De la Fuente.
The coach led Spain to Under-19 and Under-21 European titles and Olympic silver medal in Tokyo earlier than taking up the senior workforce in 2022 and successful the Nations League in June 2023.
Spain are one of many six high seeds for the 24-workforce Euros in Germany this summer season.
“We are among the contenders who are going to fight for the trophy,” stated De la Fuente.
“We have to try to live up to expectations and the expectation is we will compete to win.
“Winning at this level is very difficult because there are other teams that are well prepared, with very good players.”
“We have a very difficult group, with Croatia, Italy and let’s not forget Albania, who topped their group, with a very brilliant coach, with very good players even if they are unknown to the general public,” De la Fuente stated.
At the final Euros, Spain beat Croatia in the final 16 however misplaced to Italy, who took the title, in the semi-finals.
“Both Croatia and Italy could be fighting for the top, and then you have France, Portugal, England, Germany,” added the coach.
De La Fuente has overhauled the Spain squad. In Friday’s beginning lineup solely Aymeric Laporte additionally started Spain’s final recreation in a significant match – the spherical-of-16 loss to Morocco in the World Cup in December 2022.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – AFP)
