Spain is in Enschede, just two steps away from conquering the UEFA Nations League, because they gave their all to reach this final four. The qualification phase was highly competitive in a tough group that was not resolved until the last moment. In Braga, on the final matchday, the national team needed a victory and it came in the final moments with a divine intervention from Álvaro Morata, who pushed the ball over the line on behalf of all Spaniards. That victory in Portugal in 2021 has brought the national team to Dutch soil, all set for the thrilling semi-final against Italy (8:45 PM).

"With the celebration of that goal, you realize how much we want to win with Spain," summarizes Álvaro Morata, who still gets emotional when recalling that play. He wants to emphasize that the team is fully focused on the opportunity to lift a trophy while representing the national flag. "We have the desire to celebrate something, to make people proud... It's also difficult for us, as we come after a generation that has been one of the best in the history of football. It will show us a lot about our future. If we beat Italy and compete, we can beat anyone. They, like us, have the competitive gene, the winning gene, and it will be very difficult," admits the striker.

Indeed, it will be difficult, because Italy will always be Italy, the current European champion with a glorious past. Furthermore, the rivalry between these two Mediterranean powerhouses is filled with anecdotes, which is logical considering that the match in Enschede will be the 40th chapter between the two teams. "Now we have an opportunity, two matches, semi-final and final. We have all our energy focused on playing this semi-final against Italy, in a tournament that we want to win, we want to see ourselves with the Nations League trophy because it would be wonderful for many of us to win a trophy with the national team. It's a dream, and we have a beautiful opportunity," Morata assumes.

The dream is shared, and the excitement is more than logical, with the coaching staff also committed to this new era. This is reflected by Luis de la Fuente, who many of those in the senior team already know. "As a coach, he knows what he wants," reveals Morata, who praises both the technical and human aspects of the coach. "He wants us to press any team, whether it's Italy, Brazil, or England. He wants us to give our all and put strong pressure. He has enough experience here in the national team to handle so many players from different teams. He also has a very close, noble approach, and that is appreciated."

Here Spain stands, facing an enormous challenge and with the desire to return to paradise. They experienced it during an unforgettable period, but this national team wants to write their own history without being compared to the past. "It's difficult for us to maintain the level. We cannot surpass it, we can only match it," admits the national team's striker, with 30 goals in 62 appearances in red. "But we want to win, we want to win. We want to experience that feeling."

For that, nothing is more important than the strength of the group and the support of the fans: "When we score an important goal, it doesn't matter who scored it, we all score it. All the players and all of Spain. Hopefully, we will have support from Spain for these matches, and hopefully, we can return home saying that we are champions.