Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish national team coach, celebrated Pedri’s performance against Northern Ireland, where he scored his first international goals, and acknowledged that Pedri needed to find his best form again.

"The expectations we had for Pedri and Jesús (Navas) have been met. They’ve only reaffirmed the positive impression we had. It’s good for everyone that there’s strong competition; it benefits the whole team. We’re happy and confident that we can count on everyone for the 15th," he said in a press conference.

"I’m the one who thanks Pedri for his attitude, for being a great professional, an example of perseverance and effort. He’s a great example of values. As his coach, I celebrate it because Pedri needed to find himself, and he did. It's an important day because he’s a player who will bring us a lot throughout the competition," added the Spanish coach.

De la Fuente noted that Pedri plays in a different position than he does at Barcelona, utilizing his skills near the opponent's goal. "With us, he has a different responsibility than at his club. We want him closer to the goal, playing between the lines, making the most of the final pass and his shooting ability. We know his potential and want to make the most of it."ç

He also recognized that Pedri still has room for improvement. "Given the confidence he should have, we don’t know where the best version of Pedri will end because he’s so good and we expect so much from him that it’s infinite."

De la Fuente also spoke about easing the pressure on Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. "It's unfair to focus too much on young players who then face harsh criticism. They’re still developing, and we need to give them time. They have a great opportunity at the EURO, which is a huge media showcase, but we need to let them work calmly and without too much pressure."