TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The coach of the Spanish national team, Luis de la Fuente, has emphasized the team's readiness to face any difficulty in order to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup final as they take on France in the semifinal match at the Dallas Stadium in Dallas on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 02.00 AM WIB (Western Indonesian Time).
De la Fuente stated that there can be no great achievement without sacrifice. In a press conference before the match, he even quoted Julius Caesar to describe the mentality that his players must have.
"There can be no great achievement without suffering. If you want to achieve something important in life, you have to sacrifice something along the way. And we are prepared to endure on this journey," said De la Fuente, as quoted by Diario AS.
Despite many favoring Spain, including the French coach Didier Deschamps, the 65-year-old coach believes that being the favorite will not determine the outcome of the match. "Being the favorite does not determine anything. We are facing a great team. Our responsibility is to the supporters," he said.
De la Fuente acknowledged the quality of France's frontline, consisting of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Dou, and Michael Olise. However, he assured that La Roja will not change their playing identity. "They have outstanding players, but so do we. The key is to impose our style of play and minimize the opponent's strengths."
The Spanish coach also used the dramatic 5-4 victory over France in the UEFA Nations League as a reference for evaluation. According to him, Spain must be able to replicate the positive aspects and avoid the mistakes that almost led their opponents to equalize.
Despite the increasing pressure ahead of the semifinal, De la Fuente admitted that he is actually enjoying the moment. "I am truly enjoying it. Responsibility goes hand in hand with enjoyment. We must believe that we want to be in the final. If not, why did we come here?"
Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal claimed to not feel pressure facing the biggest match in his career so far. The 19-year-old player said he will play as usual. "I play the way I know. I give everything, and when I do that, I don't feel the pressure," said Yamal.
He also welcomed the challenge from De la Fuente, who previously mentioned that his "big day" at the World Cup is yet to come. "I accept the challenge, and tomorrow will be a very special day," he said.
Statistically, France is slightly favored ahead of the semifinal. The team led by Didier Deschamps has scored 16 goals and only conceded twice throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, Spain has collected 11 goals, but possesses a very solid defensive organization with the lowest expected goals against (xGA) record in the 2026 World Cup.
The meeting between the two teams is expected to be a showdown between the most productive attacking line and the most disciplined defense in the tournament. France will rely on the effectiveness of their forwards, while Spain aims to dominate the game through ball possession and organized defense.
Read: 2026 World Cup Semifinal Preview: France vs Spain
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