Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of the Spanish national team, confirmed that his team has the best midfield in the world, ahead of the anticipated match against Portugal in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
The Spanish national team is preparing for a strong match against Portugal, at 10 PM tomorrow, Monday, as part of the Round of 16 of the World Cup.
De la Fuente's statements
According to the Spanish newspaper "AS," De la Fuente's statements came in an interview with the British newspaper "The Guardian," where he defended the strength of his national team, despite France and several other teams being favored to win the tournament.
The Spain coach said: "In my opinion, and with all due respect to everyone, we have the best midfield in the world. We have two players in every position at the highest level."
He added, clarifying the midfield elements in his squad: Rodri, Zubimendi, Fabian, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Merino, Paina, Gavi, Firmin (injured), confirming that he has a great abundance of options in this position."
De la Fuente also addressed the comparison of the current generation's midfield with the Spanish team that won the World Cup in 2010, noting that both possess exceptional quality, with differences in football style over the eras.
The Spanish coach also praised midfielder Pedri, saying: "He is magical, possessing high quality and technical skill. He does very difficult things that look easy."
He concluded his remarks by praising the development of young star Lamine Yamal, confirming that he has become more mature and capable of handling big matches, ahead of the anticipated match against Portugal, which will reunite him with full-back Nuno Mendes.
