Spain's Euro 2024 campaign got off to a flying start with a convincing 3-0 victory over Croatia in Berlin. Coach Luis de la Fuente urged his team to remain grounded despite the impressive performance, emphasizing the importance of staying calm and focused.
La Roja dominated the first half, with Alvaro Morata opening the scoring in the 17th minute. Fabian Ruiz doubled the lead just before halftime, and Dani Carvajal sealed the victory with a fine goal in the second half.
De la Fuente praised his young team's performance, particularly 16-year-old Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, who became the youngest player ever to play at the Euros. "We dug in against Croatia, who are one of the best teams in the world, and we applied ourselves well in defense," said De la Fuente. "We performed in the way we needed to at every stage."
Spain's tactical approach under De la Fuente has shifted from the possession-based style of his predecessor Luis Enrique. La Roja is now more willing to go direct when it suits them, utilizing the pace and versatility of players like Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, and Lamine.
"We have real versatility and different tactical options," said De la Fuente. "We can hurt opponents with possession or attacks based on positional play, or we can be very quick on the break too."
Despite the impressive victory, De la Fuente cautioned his team against complacency. "We have to stay calm, motivated, and proud," he said. "We have a big game against Italy in five days. Our target is still very far away, we have to just keep our feet on the ground."
Tags: #Euro2024, #Spain, #Croatia, #LuisdeFuente, #AlvaroMorata
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