​De la Fuente: "Yamal's Best World Cup Moments Are Ahead – Tomorrow or the Final"

July 14 – Spain manager Luis de la Fuente spoke to the media ahead of the World Cup semi-final against France, which kicks off at 3:00 AM Beijing time tomorrow.

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Q: Romain Lafont, L'Équipe. Based on your previous encounters with France, how different is this French team compared to the one you faced last year or two years ago? What has changed?

I think this French team is better – considerably stronger. Like us, their players have matured. Compared to two years ago, both sides have raised their level. As players develop, their technical qualities have sharpened.

That's the reality. If I had to pick where they've improved most… over the last two years, players like Mbappé, Dembélé, and our own Pedri have shown better individual form, more experience, and greater composure in key moments. Our team is more cohesive, and every player is performing at a higher level.

Q: Domingo García, La Razón. After the Portugal match, you said we hadn't yet played well enough to win the World Cup. On current form, do you think we can beat France? Or are there areas we still need to improve?

Domingo, you know my view: we must always push to improve. There's plenty to work on – that's the tough side. The good side is we have huge potential. The worst thing is wanting to improve but lacking the ability to do so. We have the quality to grow further.

Tomorrow's game is demanding – it's a semi-final. I've said this could easily be a World Cup final, just as Argentina vs England could be another final. The four teams left are the world's top four according to the FIFA rankings.

So we need to push forward, be careful not to make mistakes, avoid giving the opposition any edge, control the tempo, and be more decisive in both boxes. That's the level we need to reach to compete and win this tournament. If we settle for what we've done so far, the outcome usually isn't what we want.

Q: Juan Jiménez, AS. You recently praised Lamine Yamal's contributions. Today is his birthday, and tomorrow he faces a historic semi-final at just 19. What do you say to a player like him before such a big match? What's the message to Yamal?

Stay calm. He's been an adult for over a year now, but he still has a long career ahead. Nineteen years old – wow. So it's nothing special: stay composed, enjoy the game, and above all, leave any anxiety behind. Drop the nerves and play his way – that's where he's at his best.

I'll say it again: Yamal's brightest moment at this World Cup is coming. I hope it's tomorrow – and if we go through, then in the final.

Q: Lola Hernández, Fox Sports. Everyone's asking about your starting XI tomorrow. You won't reveal it, I know. But Mikel Merino will start on the bench, right?

Lola, we'll see. I feel incredibly fortunate – we have 26 outstanding players. I'd say we have two options per position, but in some cases, three players are fully capable of starting tomorrow. That gives me great confidence. The final decision depends on our tactical assessment, the intelligence we've gathered, and how we analyse the opposition.

We'll choose the starting XI based on where we want to target them or how we plan to neutralise their strengths.

They're all so good – what can I say about Mikel Merino? The same goes for any of them. Every player is capable of starting. I'm at ease with my options because they consistently perform at a high level. Mikel Merino? He's fantastic.

Source: YouTube