Luis de la Fuente shares his thoughts ahead of the match against Cape Verde

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest football forum on the planet, is entering its intense phase. Today, one of the strongest and most captivating teams in the competition, European champions Spain, begins their journey in this historic tournament. Ahead of the crucial opening match against Cape Verde, head coach Luis de la Fuente spoke at an official press conference. The experienced tactician remained calm and composed regarding his team being labeled as one of the main contenders for the title.

The status of favorite is merely an acknowledgment of past achievements

The Spanish coach emphasized that the 'favorite' tag given by the media and the football community provides no ease or guarantees on the pitch.

• Superiority on paper: De la Fuente considers this status only as an assessment of the national team's rich history and recent productive results.

• Unexpected championship: The coach specifically noted that football history is full of teams that no one expected to win before the tournament, yet ended up lifting the trophy.

You can familiarize yourself with the details of Spain's first match at the 2026 World Cup and the head coach's approach through the official sports analysis table below:

"You have to fight hard on the pitch for every victory"

Luis de la Fuente stressed that the surrounding praise should not go to the players' heads and that every opponent must be treated with respect. He accepts this recognition as a symbolic tribute to his players' hard work.

Luis de la Fuente's interview with the official FIFA website:

"What does it actually mean to be a favorite? It is just an external assessment of your past successes and rich history. People and experts around you may choose you as the main contender. But one must not forget that only one team will stand on the podium at the end of the tournament. Sometimes even a team that no one expected, not included among the favorites, can become the champion. I highly value this status as recognition of my boys' tireless work and achievements. However, the status of favorite guarantees you nothing on the pitch. We are approaching this World Cup with great humility. There are no easy games in the World Cup, and we feel deep down how difficult it is to win every match."

Recall that following these statements, the Spanish national team begins its journey in the World Cup today, taking to the pitch against Cape Verde. The whole world is watching to see how the first step of the Spaniards, one of the most elegant and intense representatives of world football, will unfold.

Follow the hottest breath of the World Cup, exclusive news from the tournament venues, tactical thoughts of famous coaches, and the most reliable news about the sports world with us on Zamin pages!