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| FIFA world cup/2026/photo/Getty |
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente refused to let his side’s convincing 3-0 victory over Austria inflate expectations on Thursday, insisting his players have yet to reach their full potential despite advancing to the World Cup round of 16 without conceding a goal.
Spain strengthened their credentials as one of the tournament favorites with a commanding performance in which Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice and Pedro Porro added another goal, while Austria failed to register a single shot on target.
“I have many reasons to be happy today,” De la Fuente told reporters. “First because of the victory, we won significantly and the image of the team was fabulous. But there is still room for improvement. Perhaps you think you have seen the best of us, but this team has not yet reached its capabilities. There is more to do.”
The Spain coach said his team’s progress has been the result of a long-term process rather than one standout performance and stressed that the level required would only increase as the knockout rounds continue.
“Today’s performance should be the foundation for what comes next,” he said. “We are going to keep improving and doing things better. We are not yet satisfied, we are going for more.”
Despite another dominant defensive display, De la Fuente identified areas where Spain can still improve, particularly in maintaining aggressive pressure throughout the match.
“There were situations where we lacked high pressure. You need to keep improving all the time,” he said. “When you get flattered and believe it, you become weaker. Satisfaction can kill you.”
The 65-year-old also praised left back Marc Cucurella, who supplied both assists for Oyarzabal’s goals and played a key role in Spain’s attacking dominance.
“Cucurella is invaluable. He is a top-notch player,” De la Fuente said.
Spain will now prepare for a last-16 showdown against either Portugal or Croatia, with De la Fuente emphasizing that every round will demand a higher level of performance.“The next phase will be increasingly demanding,” he said. “We have wonderful players, but the only focus is to exceed our own expectations.”