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Santi Denia: "Winning gold is another challenge".

The national coach and captain Abel Ruiz spoke to the media before the final.
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Thu, 08/08/2024 - 15:07

Santi Denia remarked that winning gold is a difficult challenge as it has not been achieved since Barcelona 1992. "If we haven't won a gold medal for so many years, it's another challenge," he said before the big day. A tournament that he describes as demanding, but also very special. "From the beginning we knew that this tournament was so special, beautiful and physically demanding that we were going to need all 22 players in the squad. The 18+4 was a good decision by FIFA and the IOC.

As for the captain of this great "family", as they have always described the squad, he wanted to highlight his willingness to help. "Abel, apart from being the captain who helps me to form the group, family and team, he gives us a lot of quality on the pitch as well as goals", he commented.

On the recent high levels of performance in Spanish football, European champions at both senior and U-19 level, he wanted to emphasise that it is a source of pride. "We are delighted that we are seen as a yardstick at European and world level. It's the result of good work put in over many years," he said, adding that the model of play has been improved, while maintaining the Spanish "essence".

France awaits in the final, national coach Denia commented that they are a "very strong team with very good players". "They are a brave team, who want to attack. It's going to be a very close match," he said.

Abel Ruiz: "We want the gold".

The captain affirmed that gold is the only thing on the group’s minds. "We have fought hard to get here and we want gold," he remarked. "We arrived in Paris with a lot of enthusiasm and we are coming back for the final. We're really looking forward to tomorrow," he said of the team's state of mind.

He added: "We are motivated because we know that it is very important for us, for Spain, for the COE (Spanish Olympic Committee)... for all of us who are part of this dream. It is something that could be historic".

"France are a very tough rival and very difficult to play at home, but we want the gold medal and we are going to work for it", he said of his opponent for the final to be played this Friday at 18:00.

Finally, he stressed that "the key to all tournaments is to create a good team spirit and in this tournament we have also achieved that and that is why we are in the final".