Luis de la Fuente: We're not favourites, and we don't want to avoid anyone | OneFootball

Just hours before the highly anticipated group stage draw for the 2026 World Cup, Spain’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, spoke with Cadena SER from Washington.

The coach from La Rioja delivered a message of optimism and ambition, highlighting "excitement" as the main driving force behind the Spanish expedition at the major football event.

"All the excitement. We’re very eager to see the draw and find out who our rivals will be. Excitement is what drives this event," said De la Fuente. He emphasized that simply being present at the tournament is a "success", as it brings together the best national teams in the world. This mentality of pride and high expectations marks the beginning of Spain’s World Cup journey.

Regarding the label of favorites, the coach was cautious but pleased with the external recognition. "We’re not boasting about being favorites. We are proud to be seen that way. It’s the best way, externally, to say that Spain is doing things right, that it has a great team, and that it has chances," he explained. However, he reminded everyone that "from there to being champions is a long way," though he assured that they will be "ready to fight for it."

De la Fuente’s message about potential rivals was clear: there are no preferences or fears. "We don’t want to avoid any team. The privilege is to be here. At a World Cup, you play against the best teams in the world," he stated. This attitude reflects absolute confidence in his squad’s potential to face any opponent the draw may bring.

Finally, La Roja’s coach warned about the competitive nature of modern football, emphasizing the need not to underestimate any team. "You have to be prepared to compete," he concluded, reminding everyone that these competitions always bring surprising results due to the great parity among the participants.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 ROBERTO SCHMIDT - Afp or licensors