Marcos Llorente: “Representing Spain at a World Cup Is Always an Emotional Experience”

On Nico Williams

"It has been a very difficult period for him after a challenging season, but he is doing much better now. He still has the same smile as always, although naturally he is disappointed that he cannot help the team at the moment. We are all doing our best to support him, just as we are with Yeremy. We arrived here as 26 players, and we intend to leave as 26. The group is incredibly important, and we certainly have not ruled out the possibility of Nico helping us again later in the tournament."

On Austria

"Our sole focus is on the next match. Right now, all our attention is on Austria, because that is what matters. If we achieve our objective and win, there will be time afterwards to think about the next opponent."

On his daily routine in Chattanooga

"I keep almost exactly the same routine as I do at home, just in a hotel environment. I usually wake up at around 6:30 a.m. to watch the sunrise, the national team provides us with everything we need nutritionally, we train, and we have dinner early. In that respect, very little has changed, and I feel very comfortable here."

On adapting to different types of matches

"Every match is different. The last one was extremely intense and played at a very high tempo, but we managed to cope well against a team fighting for its survival in the competition. There are always aspects we can improve, but we achieved our objective in the group stage."

On his understanding with Lamine Yamal

"We are getting to know each other better with every game. Lamine hardly needs any help because he is such a special player, but I always try to make things easier for him whenever I can. We communicate a lot, both before and during matches, and that understanding is growing all the time."

On competition for the right-back position

"All 26 players earned their place here through their performances with their clubs. This is a very long tournament, and every one of us is fully committed to the coach and to the national team. Whether you play or not, you must always give everything and support the team. You never know when you might be called upon to score the most important goal."

On playing in his second World Cup

"The World Cup is special for every footballer, whether it is your first or your second. It is always an honour and a very emotional experience to represent Spain on a stage like this. I have exactly the same desire to win as I did in Qatar."

On the tournament favourites

"Teams such as France, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina and Norway are among the favourites, but in modern football any opponent can make life difficult for you, and we are seeing that throughout this tournament. Discussions about favourites come mainly from outside the camp. Our focus is simply on preparing well and winning the next match."