Luis de la Fuente: "We Can Beat Any Team"

Spain have reached the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for only the second time in their history after defeating Belgium 2-1 in Los Angeles. Goals from Fabián Ruiz and, once again, the decisive Mikel Merino secured a memorable victory in California. Luis de la Fuente began his post-match press conference by expressing his condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the Almería wildfires, as well as to the national team's photographer, who lost his mother during the match: "May they rest in peace."

Mikel Merino, the Difference-Maker

"What matters is the team. Every player is important, whether they play or not. The number of minutes each footballer gets is irrelevant; what matters is that everyone is committed and understands their role in every match. Mikel is an incredibly complete and versatile player. He's played as a No. 6, No. 8, No. 10 and No. 9, and he always performs well. He has an exceptional understanding of the game and the composure to read every moment of the match."

France Await in the Semi-Finals

"It's another final before the final, just like the match against Portugal. France have shown extraordinary quality. We have very high expectations for the next game and we know how difficult it will be. We'll leave everything on the pitch because we know we're capable of beating any team."

Decision-Making

"My goal is to become a better coach every day. Every decision we make is based on thorough analysis and a deep understanding of our players. I'm grateful to everyone who works alongside me and to my coaching staff. I couldn't achieve any of this without them."

Unai Simón's Clean-Sheet Record

"It's a historic achievement, and it may be many years before anyone breaks this record. Unai is an outstanding goalkeeper, but this is a credit to the entire team. Hard work, commitment and solidarity—there's no other secret."

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