De la Fuente quotes Julius Caesar and Yamal predicts 'a special day' ahead of World Cup semi-final against France

De la Fuente's Roman inspiration

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente reached for classical history once again on the eve of the World Cup semi-final against France. Facing reporters in Dallas, he quoted Julius Caesar: "No hay gran logro sin sufrimiento" (no great achievement without suffering). The maxim, he said, is one he repeats constantly to his players as they prepare for what he called a footballing war.

If you want to achieve something in life, you always have to leave something on the road. We are ready to go to war tomorrow. If you want to win something important, you need to sacrifice something along the way. These are the semi-finals of a World Cup. We are prepared to suffer.

It is not the first time the Rioja-born coach has mined Roman philosophy. Before Spain's quarter-final against Belgium he recalled Marcus Aurelius's reflection that what is good for the hive is good for the bee, a metaphor he used to underline the primacy of the collective over individual star power. The Caesar citation fits a similar pattern: stoic, collective, and bracingly direct.

The favourites question

Didier Deschamps positioned Spain as the clear favourite heading into the match, pointing to a defensive record of just one goal conceded across six tournament fixtures. De la Fuente refused to accept the label, reaching instead for a line from his friend and former Athletic Bilbao colleague Joaquín Caparrós: 'Do you think they aren't going to turn up? Of course they're going to turn up.' Being called favourite, he insisted, does not win a football match and generates no extra pressure on his side.

De la Fuente went on to argue that the France team arriving in Dallas is stronger than the one Spain edged 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semi-final, and stronger than the side beaten 5-4 in the wild Nations League semi-final in Stuttgart. He told Spanish media he has studied France thoroughly and that both teams have grown since those encounters, pointing specifically to the chaotic final fifteen minutes in Stuttgart when Spain nearly squandered a 5-1 lead.

Yamal steps into the spotlight

If De la Fuente provided the gravitas, Lamine Yamal supplied the headline. Walking into a packed press room at the Dallas stadium wearing the national team's burgundy tracksuit, the teenage forward opened with a quip: "Thank you all for coming to my birthday." He turns 19 on matchday. After rearranging his jacket on the chair, a reporter asked about the conspicuous chain around his neck. "It's not a gift because I paid for it," he replied.

Yamal grew more serious when the questions turned to football. He dismissed concerns about his recent form, telling journalists that because they say he is not at his best level they should expect nothing from him, then adding quietly that he trusts things will go well. The line he wanted to leave behind, and the one that led every Spanish sports bulletin, was simple: "Estoy seguro de que mañana va a ser un día especial" (I am sure tomorrow is going to be a special day).

I don't feel pressure. You say I'm not at my best level, so you don't have to expect anything from me. But tomorrow I'm confident it will go well.

De la Fuente endorsed the confidence, saying Yamal needs to stay calm, enjoy his football and banish anxiety. The coach closed with a promise of his own: "The great day for Lamine at this World Cup is still to come, and I hope it is against France."

Midfield options and the final message

The coach also addressed a simmering selection debate over Pedri and Fabián in midfield, acknowledging their different profiles while offering a characteristically pragmatic solution. Both, he noted, provide the accompaniment to the holding midfielder and the link with the number ten that the system requires, and if the question becomes too difficult they can simply play together. "I put both of them out and the problem is solved," he said with a smile.

Before leaving the lectern De la Fuente revealed the last instruction he would give his squad in the dressing room: enjoy the moment, recognise the uniqueness of the occasion, and above all be themselves. "We are in a unique setting, possibly unrepeatable, but let's be who we are. Let the professional team that wants to compete until the end be seen. We are really hungry to reach the final and we're going to give everything."