"We could not demand any more of ourselves: we want to retain the title"

After announcing the 26-player squad called up for the final stage of the Nations League, Luis de la Fuente, the national coach, attended a press conference in the Luis Aragonés Hall at the Ciudad del Fútbol.

Asked about the competitive level of the Spanish league and after expressing his deepest condolences to the family and friends of José Ángel de la Casa and Manolo 'el del bombo', the coach from La Rioja stated: "I am a great admirer of our domestic competition, I consider the league very attractive and competitive. Having eight teams next season in European competitions is incredible. I also want to highlight the leading role played by Spanish players in the teams elsewhere that have won major titles. Our football is in fantastic health."

Regarding aspects of the squad, De la Fuente highlighted the return of Isco six years since his last call-up, stating that "this was the ideal time for him to return": "We have 26 players to cover any match situation. I have never looked at names or ages when choosing players. We are sure he is going to contribute a lot," he continued.

Likewise, he also spoke about the return of Gavi, whom he considers fundamental "on and off the pitch", and about Rodrigo, who could not be included in the group because "he needs to get minutes after eight months out injured". In his own words: "He is incredibly important to the team, he has a specific role, but we have spoken with him and it was not the time to take risks. We always prioritise the players' health."

Finally, looking ahead to the upcoming challenge, the Nations League final, the coach wanted to highlight the level of the teams involved: "France, Spain, Germany and Portugal... we have the three previous champions of the tournament; three World Cup winners and one European champion. This is not a minor tournament and we are giving it its due importance. We want to win the tournament and be the first national team to do so twice. Our players have an insatiable hunger; we could not demand any more of ourselves."