BERLIN: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called on a “brilliant” generation of players to make history for their country in the Euro 2024 final against England on Sunday.
La Roja are aiming to win a record fourth European Championship 12 years after they last lifted the trophy.
With Rodri Hernandez pulling the strings in midfield and explosive young wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams in attack, Spain have been the tournament’s great entertainers on the road to Berlin.
“It’s a brilliant generation, many of them have come through successful youth levels and that usually bodes well for success,” De la Fuente told reporters Saturday.
“We want to start to make history — and we have made history already in the run to (the final)... I trust in a great future, there’s both present and future.”
Spain won the 2008 and 2012 Euros and the 2010 World Cup with many star players from Barcelona and Real Madrid, including Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Ramos and David Villa.
The current side has fewer stars but consider that one of their strong points, with the squad on an even footing and “unity” has been a key word among Spain players at the tournament.
Despite Spain shining en route to the final while England have scraped through, De la Fuente said the clash at the Olympiastadion will be “extremely balanced.”
“Whichever team manages to impose their strengths, whoever makes less errors (will win),” said the coach.
“But you can win a one-off game, even playing far worse (than your opponent).
“We need to have maximum concentration, not make any mistakes and take advantage of the chances we have — put them away.”
The coach thanked injured duo Pedri and Ayoze Perez, who will not be available to face England, and said Barcelona midfielder Gavi will travel to join the team for the final.
The 19-year-old missed most of the season with a knee injury but was an important player for Spain before sustaining it in November.
De la Fuente said it was no challenge to keep Barcelona’s Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday, and Athletic Bilbao’s Williams, 22, calm ahead of the biggest game of their careers.
“It’s not at all hard, they have such joy, and incredible maturity for such young players, they understand the sport very well and they are well accompanied by more experienced players,” explained the coach.
“We’re a team, it’s not about hailing individuals, and this makes us stronger.”
At the other end of the age spectrum is 38-year-old Sevilla defender Jesus Navas, who started the semifinal win over France in direct confrontation with Kylian Mbappe.
Navas won the 2010 World Cup, 2012 Euros and the 2023 Nations League with Spain and said he would love to lift another trophy with his country.
“To still be enjoying myself with my national team at 38 is incredible,” said the right-back.
“In (Spain’s golden years) we were such a close-knit group, and you could feel it. Now it’s the same, there’s an incredible group. I’m delighted by everything that’s happening to us.
“We know the excitement and hope that we all have and I hope we can win it.”
De la Fuente calls on Spain players to make history in Euros final
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De la Fuente calls on Spain players to make history in Euros final
- “It’s a brilliant generation, many of them have come through successful youth levels and that usually bodes well for success,” De la Fuente told reporters Saturday
Neres’ double leads Napoli to Super Cup glory in Riyadh
- Napoli defeats first-time participants Bologna in Italian Super Cup final at Al-Awwal Park
- In semifinals Napoli beat AC Milan, while Bologna edged Inter Milan on penalties
RIYADH: It was a night to remember for David Neres. Arriving in Riyadh on Monday looking to cement a regular starting role, the Brazilian winger delivered in emphatic fashion by scoring twice to lead Napoli to the title and win the Man of the Match award.
Neres, who netted his first brace for the club a month ago against Atalanta in Serie A, will have given Napoli’s coaching staff plenty to think about after his decisive performances in the four-team tournament.
Napoli were made to work for their breakthrough. Bologna kept them at bay for the opening half hour, with Neres and Rasmus Hojlund managing to break past the lines on more than one occasion, only to be denied by Torborjn Heggem and Jhon Lucumi.
Semifinal hero Federico Ravaglia’s composure was on show as he protected Bologna between the posts, but he was finally beaten in the 39th minute by a moment of quality, as Neres curled his strike into the corner to give Napoli the lead.
Napoli maintained control after the break, showcasing their passing combinations in front of the energetic Riyadh crowd while searching for a second.
That goal arrived in the 57th minute, with Neres once again at the heart of it. The winger won possession from Lucumi on the edge of the box before clipping it over Ravaglia to extend Napoli’s lead.
Neres also came centimeters away from completing a hat-trick, racing forward on the counter following a through-ball to Hojlund, but the latter’s pass across the box proved a tad too powerful for the Brazilian to convert.
When Neres was withdrawn 15 minutes later, the stadium rose to applaud his performance because he carried Napoli to their first Super Cup title in over a decade.
Napoli nearly added a third, when in the 87th minute Matteo Politano was found right in front of the open net only to lift his effort narrowly over the crossbar.
The victory, Napoli’s maiden triumph in Riyadh, represents their third Italian Super Cup title, following previous triumphs in 1990 and 2014. It was a fitting moment of redemption after their injury-time defeat to Inter Milan at Al-Awwal Park in the 2023 final.
The game was the sixth Italian Super Cup hosted in the Kingdom, with Napoli becoming the fourth winner after Juventus (2018, 2019), Inter Milan (2022, 2023) and AC Milan (2024/25).
