Training in sandals & injuries - Spain's unlikely turning point

Appearances tin beryllium deceptive.

Luis de la Fuente whitethorn look much for illustration a civilian servant than a top-flight shot coach but he has shown capable - some astatine Euro 2024 and successful nan past - to propose that anyone who underestimates his capabilities, and those of his Spain side, do truthful astatine their peril.

They whitethorn person gone into this tourney arsenic unfancied outsiders but participate Tuesday's semi-final against France arsenic astir apt nan astir in-form squad and considered by galore arsenic favourites for nan title.

Spain haven't won a awesome tourney since they defended their European crown successful 2012 - sandwiching nan 2010 World Cup triumph - and location is existent excitement now crossed nan nation.

Everything fell successful spot backmost successful September past twelvemonth successful Georgia during nan qualifiers.

Somehow nan Spanish shot federation managed to mislay nan players' boots which meant they had to walk an evening training successful sandals.

It galvanised nan group and built a existent squad tone that tin beryllium seen successful abundance now.

Then successful nan crippled that followed nan 2 wingers, Dani Olmo and Marco Asensio, were some injured and replaced by Nico Williams and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal earlier nan break.

It was nan first clip nan 2 youngsters had played together - 2 wholly different wide players from who they were replacing, who bask nan one-on-ones and tin walk nan lucifer playing outside.

Both scored, Georgia were turned complete 7-1 - and Spain person ne'er looked back.

Williams and Yamal person been nan standout stars of nan tourney truthful far, terrorising defenders connected either flank.

De la Fuente is nan astir improbable type of personification to put each this together.

A man almost wholly devoid of ego, and personification who believes that it is nan team, alternatively than individuals, that matters most.

As he said successful his media convention aft nan quarter-final triumph complete Germany, nan activity is done successful nan action of players and mentation of nan game.

As acold arsenic action he has a group of players, nan guidelines of which comes from nan U19 and U21 victories successful erstwhile European Championships.

Olmo, Fabian Ruiz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino and Unai Simon were each portion of those successes. While successful his broadside that vanished arsenic metallic medallists astatine nan Tokyo Olympics were Marc Cucurella and Pedri.

Like nan Spain broadside from nan 2008-2012 glory years, galore of these players person known each different for up to 10 years and this helps to create a close-knit nine ambiance successful a nationalist squad environment.

Add to that nan caller procreation successful nan shape of outrageously talented wingmen Williams and Yamal and you person sewage a existent typical blend.

And to nan TikTok procreation you tin adhd nan aged man of nan group successful nan style of 39-year-old Jesus Navas - nan past remaining personnel of nan old, great, Spain.

You besides person Dani Carvajal, presently nan champion right-back successful nan world, Rodri, efficaciously nan team's coach connected nan transportation and Alvaro Morata, who is very happy successful his domiciled arsenic skipper and leader looking aft nan youngsters successful nan squad.

Spain's nonaccomplishment of midfielder Pedri acknowledgment to an unpunished situation by Toni Kroos was a hammer rustle that could person earnestly derailed nan team.

Not conscionable because he is simply a awesome young player, but because of his wide value to nan gameplan arsenic a whole.

But it was nan squad ethic that yet saw Spain prevail against Germany successful nan Battle of Stuttgart, a lucifer pinch nan top number of fouls of immoderate truthful acold successful this tourney (39), 15 yellowish cards and 1 red.

Just earlier other clip De la Fuente told his players: "We want nan shot and we are better. And supra thing other what we person to do is make judge we thief retired team-mates."

Spain's triumph against Germany was nan first clip they person beaten a big federation successful a awesome competition.

And it came astir because wrong nan 'band of brothers' squad mentality, no-one hid from nan individual duels they each faced connected nan pitch. Everyone played their part.

Every crippled truthful acold has provided a different trial for this Spain broadside and successful each lawsuit they person risen to nan task.

Against Croatia it was astir winning nan possession battle, while nan Italy crippled erstwhile again served arsenic a reminder arsenic to wherever we are placed successful nan world pecking order.

Against Albania and past Georgia we showed that we could triumph nan title against 2 sides that were ever going to take sides deep.

Against Germany, Spain whitethorn good person ridden their luck but astir importantly ne'er mislaid focus.

In nan extremity they played 3 games successful one, firstly pinch nan threat down nan flanks pinch nan young wingers, earlier a grounded effort to return power of nan centre erstwhile they were replaced, and past yet pinch different striker successful a 4-2-4 statement successful other clip which paid dividends.

This Spanish broadside earned their luck for having nan courageousness of their convictions, daring to alteration nan script.

By nan extremity of proceedings Nacho could hardly move, Laporte was doubled up pinch symptom successful his back, while Rodri, who has played much than 5,000 minutes this season, was retired connected his feet.

In a capacity truthful team-driven, it seems almost for illustration bad manners to azygous retired 1 peculiar player.

But Olmo - connected from nan seventh infinitesimal pursuing Pedri's wounded - shone for illustration a beacon.

He now has 5 assists successful 2 European Championships - a Spain grounds - and was nan scorer of their first and supplier of Merino's match-winner.

But possibly his top occurrence was remaining unfazed by nan unit put connected him by Germany, and acting arsenic main organiser of nan crippled arsenic he group astir putting connected a capacity for his state that will beryllium talked astir for years.

With France up adjacent location is simply a respectful belief wrong nan Spain campy that they person it successful them to return nan adjacent measurement to renewed glory.