NEW YORK, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has taken his side to the verge of its second-ever World Cup final and, on the eve of Tuesday's semifinal showdown with France, he admitted that the disappointing start to the tournament seemed like a lifetime ago.
Spain came in for considerable criticism after opening its campaign with a 0-0 draw against Cabo Verde, but five consecutive wins mean victory over France would give it the chance to repeat its 2010 triumph in South Africa.
Speaking to Spanish TV network RTVE, De la Fuente admitted the Cabo Verde game "feels like it belongs to another World Cup, another year, and another century."
He said the main thing was that Spain hadn't "changed and we're still following the same approach we've had since we started training. We're the same team, following the same process we planned (...) so we're exactly where we wanted to be, in the place we wanted to be, and playing the way we wanted to be."
The coach said he was not surprised to face France again after semifinal meetings at the 2024 European Championship and in the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
"France was one of the favorites," he said, adding that he expected Tuesday's game to be very different from Spain's 2-1 win in 2024 or the 5-4 thriller last year.
"They are completely different teams. It's a different era, even though many players have already been there. There will be changes in various aspects, both in terms of football and tactics."
"I think both teams have improved," said De la Fuente, who believes winger Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, still has to play his "best match in this World Cup."
"He's going to be a player who will leave a good impression between now and the end of the World Cup," continued the Spain coach.
De la Fuente believes that a World Cup is a process of evolution throughout the tournament, noting that "Saudi Arabia or Cabo Verde are not the same as Belgium, Austria or Portugal."
"Each team has its own demands and its own unique characteristics... but this team is very intelligent and knows how to navigate each moment of every match. We're now facing France, a team we know very well and where they know us very well. It won't have anything to do with the past," he concluded. ■
