The list of FIFA errors is long and this World Cup is a new example. Balogun, hydration breaks, halftime shows… but Infantino and his henchmen don’t do everything wrong. In fact, there are some things others could learn from. When it comes to the final of a World Cup, the most important match that can be played, it’s not a matter of experimenting and playing around. Everyone gets serious. So before the showdown, the coaches and captains of the finalists must appear at a press conference. They are the most authoritative voices. And in New York, as far as Spain is concerned, that responsibility fell on Luis de la Fuente and Rodri Hernández.
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After a helicopter ride that made him “nervous,” the Haro coach appeared serious in one of the gigantic rooms of the Jarvits Center, on the banks of the Hudson River, the spectacular building set up to host the thousands of media covering the showdown and holding press conferences. “It’s a luxury to be in a final, the important thing is to be in a position to fight for the title. I’m going to surprise you, I would sign to be in the World Cup final every year and lose it,” De la Fuente began bluntly.
The man from La Rioja, who reiterated his praise for the Argentine team of his “friend” Scaloni, revealed an anecdote about the day he met the best footballer of all time, now again an opponent in the World Cup final.
“I was in the youth categories of Sevilla and we had to go to Barcelona to play against Barça. They had told me about a kid who was very good, his name was Leo Messi, so we decided to mark him individually. At minute 70 it was 0-0 and I changed the player marking him because he had a yellow card. In those fifteen minutes left he scored four goals on us.”
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Luis de la Fuente
“I would sign to reach the World Cup final every year and lose it”
The Spanish coach, who confirmed that Lamine Yamal “is fine, he only suffered a sandwich,” asked his players to “enjoy the moment and use their weapons.” De la Fuente tried to tread lightly on the final’s referee, the Slovenian Vincic. “We are here to help him and he is here to ensure there is a good show. Both Argentina and Spain I am sure will approach the match so that talent and good play prevail over other circumstances,” he pointed out.
Among the many successes the Spanish coach has had throughout this World Cup, his trust in Rodri must undoubtedly be placed among the most valuable. Spain’s brain did not reach the World Cup in his best form, he lacked physical and mental freshness. But De la Fuente was clear from the start that he was in a process that would culminate in donning again the suit that led him to the Ballon d’Or. The recital against France confirmed it, Rodri was Rodri again. “I have heard many things during the World Cup that I couldn’t play, that I was improving in the final rounds… I try not to listen much. I try to improve especially in ball precision, which is part of my game, and I am happy with my development. Also, I think against France, both individually and collectively, we played one of the best matches we have ever played,” the Madrid native said before almost a thousand journalists.
The Spanish captain, before saying goodbye, revealed the message he conveyed to the locker room before playing against France and that he plans to reiterate before the final against Argentina. “I told them that you have to want to win more than fear losing,” he confirmed. To finish, he recalled that in the final the Spanish team faces “a very beautiful challenge to make this generation unforgettable.”
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