Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro drive Spain’s World Cup charge from full-back | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, rather than the precocious wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, it is the full-backs Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella who have lit up Spain’s World Cup, shaping games at both ends.

Porro is Spain’s second-top scorer behind Mikel Oyarzabal, finding the net in the round of 32 against Austria, 3-0, and again in Tuesday’s 2-0 win after a slick one-two with Dani Olmo.

Cucurella is Spain’s leading provider with two assists and a pre-assist versus Austria, and his volley drew the save that rebounded in off Hassan Al-Tambakti for a 4-0 victory. Together they have been involved in 40% of Spain’s goals.

Head coach Luis de la Fuente prefers attack-minded full-backs, wanting them high and involved around the opposition box. He believes it would make little sense to limit players with these qualities, so he seeks to empower them and ensure they feel comfortable.

Their defending has been just as striking. With Lamine Yamal struggling against Nuno Mendes, Porro contained the Portuguese’s link-up with Joao Félix in a 1-0 last-16 win, then handled Jérémy Doku in the next round’s first half before a fierce semi-final duel with Bradley Barcola. On the other flank, the new Real Madrid player shut down Ousmane Dembélé then Michael Olise, taking a booking when Olise briefly looked to break free.

None of this felt inevitable. Cucurella arrived off an ordinary season at Chelsea in a troubled side, while Porro had endured a long mediocre spell at Tottenham. The Spurs defender travelled to America as Marcos Llorente’s understudy, later saying he always believed in himself and worked with humility, yet even he had not envisaged a World Cup like this.

Source: L'Équipe