Spain coach sees Belgium as toughest World Cup test yet

Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente declared on Thursday that Belgium will present the toughest challenge yet for his team in the World Cup quarter-finals. Spain has reached this stage without conceding a single goal, demonstrating a well-rounded performance throughout the tournament.

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Tomorrow’s game will ⁠be the hardest that we’ve faced to this point.

"Tomorrow's game will be the hardest that we’ve faced to this point," de la Fuente told reporters. He highlighted Belgium's experienced squad, featuring players from top European clubs, as a significant factor. "Belgium is a very powerful team. These are players who are used to winning. It’s going to be a challenging match."

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Belgium is a very powerful team. These are players who are used to winning. It’s going to be a challenging match.

The winners of Friday's match will advance to face France in the semi-finals. However, de la Fuente stressed that Spain's immediate focus is entirely on Belgium. "Trust me, we are only thinking about Belgium tomorrow," he stated.

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Trust me we are only thinking about Belgium tomorrow.

While Spain's defense has been formidable, the team will look to young star Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal for offensive contributions. De la Fuente praised Yamal's growing maturity and defensive efforts, backing the teenager's attacking prowess to make a difference. He also underscored that Spain's success stems from collective effort, not individual brilliance, with every player prioritizing the team's needs.

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He’s going to perform on the attacking front.