Source : ABC NEWS
Spain, improbably, has failed to win a knockout round match in its last three World Cups, but Lamine Yamal’s team is the favourite to finally get it done when La Roja faces Austria today.
Since winning the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, Spain failed to get out of group play in 2014 before losing its first knockout match in each of the past two World Cups.
The dry spell has shown signs of lifting in recent years, with coach Luis De La Fuente leading his players to wins in the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championships while losing only two of La Roja’s 45 total matches in his tenure.
Spain didn’t overwhelmingly dominate group play, and its surprising scoreless draw with Cabo Verde invited doubters and detractors.
But with Yamal fit enough to play a full match in the knockout rounds, De La Fuente is optimistic that his team is getting better as the tournament goes on — and it still hasn’t conceded a goal.
“I can tell you that this national team is used to breaking records,” De La Fuente.
“Perhaps that bad streak (at the World Cup) will be overcome by this specific squad.”
AP
