Spain's advancement to the World Cup final has pleased De la Fuente with the players' character.

With goals from Oyarzabal and Pedro Polo, Spain defeated France 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup semi-final. Coach De la Fuente expressed his delight at the players' selflessness and character.

In the 20th minute, Cucurella passed the ball to Yamal, who was fouled by Digne, resulting in a penalty for Spain. Oyarzabal then converted the penalty, giving Spain a 1-0 lead.

In the 58th minute of the second half, Olmo dealt with the defense and made a diagonal pass, which Pedro Polo seized and slotted home to give Spain a 2-0 lead over France.

Ultimately, Spain defeated France 2-0, securing their place in the final.

Spain's head coach, De la Fuente, said, "Our confidence before the match was that we were facing one of the best teams in the world, but they were facing one of the best teams in the world. These players have a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and outstanding talent; they always manage to make difficult things simple. They not only have football talent, but also the right attitude towards life and sportsmanship."

"What I saw was a happy locker room, and the whole country standing behind us. The most heartwarming thing about this team is that those players who didn't get a chance to play stayed behind to continue training after the game, which is enough to prove the team's character."

De la Fuente emphasized, "I have always believed that the most important thing in life is choosing the people who walk with you. If you choose the wrong people to walk with, you are likely to encounter many problems in the end."

“We are very clear that this team is not just about the players, but also about all the staff. Everyone is working towards the same goal. We are all ordinary people who are willing to give, and we always put the interests of the team before our own interests.”

De la Fuente added, "This team always surprises me, and our room for improvement is still limitless. This is the result of long-term hard work and a gradual process."

In addition, Pedro Polo, who helped Spain secure the victory, said, "This is truly a dream come true, even exceeding all my dreams. We put on a fantastic performance and did what we were supposed to do, therefore we deserve to advance to the final."

"We are well aware that we are facing an extremely strong opponent, and advancing to the final is the result of the team's joint efforts, not my personal achievement."

Image source: Internet