De la Fuente presume el motor de España: "Tenemos el mejor mediocampo del mundo"

Ahead of Spain's Round of 16 clash with Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, head coach Luis de la Fuente expressed complete confidence in his squad, insisting that La Roja boasts the strongest midfield in world football.

With Spain preparing to face Portugal in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Luis de la Fuente has highlighted what he believes is his team's greatest strength: its midfield. Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, the Spain coach confidently stated that his squad possesses "the best midfield in the world."

De la Fuente compared the current generation with the legendary Spanish midfield that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, arguing that today's group is capable of reaching a similar level. He praised the depth of talent available, mentioning players such as Rodri, Martín Zubimendi, Fabián Ruiz, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Mikel Merino, Álex Baena, Gavi and Fermín López.

The Spanish manager reserved special praise for Pedri, describing him as "a magician." According to De la Fuente, the Barcelona midfielder performs incredibly difficult actions with remarkable ease, possesses extraordinary vision and demonstrates the qualities that define footballing genius.

He also addressed the upcoming individual battle between Lamine Yamal and Nuno Mendes, explaining that Yamal has matured significantly since their previous encounters and is now a more complete, confident and intelligent player.

Spain heads into the knockout stage as one of the tournament favorites, and De la Fuente's comments reflect the confidence within the squad as they prepare for one of the biggest matches of their World Cup campaign.