Spain boss knew England would ‘switch on’

Luis de la Fuente knew England would eventually get it right at Euro 2024 and says they will be more of a threat to Spain than France or Germany.

Spain have won all six games – the first to ever do so at a European Championships – and have beaten 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia, Euro 2020 winners Italy, three-time winners Germany and 2022 World Cup runners-up France on the way to Sunday’s final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

By contrast England limped through a group with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, needed a 95^th-minute equaliser to force extra-time before edging past Slovakia, had to rely on penalties to overcome Switzerland and then struck late to snatch victory against the Netherlands in the last-four.

“Two huge national teams. They are the two best, that’s why we are both in the final” 🌟

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente thinks Spain and England were the two best teams in the Euro 2024 competition ⚔ pic.twitter.com/jiUvJlvGiZ

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 13, 2024

Speaking at a media conference on the eve of the showpiece, de la Fuente said: “They are an excellent national team.

“Independent of the results or performances so far in this competition, I knew that England were a very good side, a very good squad and that sooner or later they’d ‘switch on’.”

The 63-year-old insists his players will not take England lightly as they know the quality of their opponents, not least Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham.

“I believed that (they’d come good) because of the exceptional level of their players. So there’s zero complacency or over-confidence on our part.

“In fact, facing England, I think, is a completely different match than any we’ve played so far.

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“England are a wholly different opponent from France or Germany, but with a superior level of players who’ve won big trophies all over Europe and played at great clubs.

“We need to keep growing stronger. Whichever team manages the fine margins, commits fewer errors, will be much closer to eventual victory.”

Spain have been hailed as the tournament’s best side and lead the scoring charts with 13 goals to England’s seven, however de la Fuente wants more from La Roja if they are to become the first nation to win four European Championships.

“I’ll tell them that they need to play even better than they have in reaching the final,” he said. “We need to be ourselves – but even better.

“I’ll ask them to enjoy themselves. I’ll tell them that I’m proud of them, no matter what the eventual result is. I’ll tell them that they’ve been an example for our entire nation.”