Luis de la Fuente reacts after draw with Cape Verde

Discussions have intensified around the Spain national team after an unexpected dropped point in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Unable to break through the solid defensive wall of Cape Verde, tournament debutants, the 'La Roja' settled for a goalless (0:0) draw. Following the match, head coach Jose Luis de la Fuente shared his thoughts and bitter conclusions. The experienced specialist explained the reasons for the failure in the encounter and touched upon future plans.

Coach's opinion: "We fully deserved the victory"

According to a report released by the official website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the Spanish coach did not hide his dissatisfaction with the events on the pitch:

Luis de la Fuente's post-match statement:

"In today's intense battle, we certainly should have secured three points and left the pitch victorious. Considering the countless clear opportunities created, the control, and the general circumstances during the match, Spain deserved this win. However, my players lacked physical sharpness and precision in the final third. Now we must forget this result and focus all our attention on the important clash against our next group opponent, Saudi Arabia."

The coach specifically emphasized that the team has not yet fully found its rhythm and that they will continue to work tirelessly on improving all tactical aspects of the game.

You can familiarize yourself with the Spain national team's first-round problems and future group plans via the following official sports analysis table:

"This is the World Cup — there is no such thing as a weak opponent here"

De la Fuente also highly praised the resilience shown by the opponents visiting from the African continent. According to him, the coaching staff had anticipated that Cape Verde would operate under such a dense and deep defensive tactic, fielding physically strong players.

"The opponent's physical strength, combined with signs of fatigue and a lack of sharpness on our part, led to this final result. But this is the World Cup. In the Mundial, there are no weak opponents at all; every team fights until the end," the Spanish coach concluded. Spanish fans expect only attacking football and the first 3 points in the second-round match against Saudi Arabia.

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