In Basque sporting culture, team ethics are everything. They even have a word that defines the closeness and camaraderie that are the hallmark of their ethos.
That word is “cuadrilla”, a word that implies much more than just friendship, but rather a unity “one for all and all for one”.
This ‘band of brothers’ mentality perfectly explains the selection of the Spanish team for Euro 2024, made by coach Luis de la Fuente, someone who developed his football career on the pitches of Athletic Club, one of the two Basque teams, alongside the Real Sociedad, represented by eight players in the squad.
It is not necessary to tell them what a cuadrilla is.
De la Fuente in search of more respect
Born in Haro, in the La Rioja region, a city more accustomed to producing vintage wines than great football players, De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique shortly after the World Cup in Qatar, which saw Spain eliminated on penalties in the round of 16. at the end.
Over the previous eight years, he managed hugely successful under-19, under-21 and under-23 teams.
He was not technically Basque, but close enough to being so that he was considered eligible to play for Athletic Bilbao for nine years between 1976 and 1987 and again from 1991 to 1993.
Not everyone was convinced he was the right choice and the defeat to Scotland in the European qualifiers in just the second game seemed to confirm their reservations. But just three months later, Spain lifted the Nations League trophy by defeating Croatia on penalties.
Recently the Spanish Federation announced the renewal of its contract until 2026, to put an end to one of the anomalies created by the recent Luis Rubiales disaster.
At the World Cup celebrations, Rubiales, then president of the country’s football federation, kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips – a kiss he says was consensual but she says was not.
De la Fuente’s support for the disgraced former president of the Spanish Federation at a federation meeting, where Rubiales’ impassioned refusal to resign culminated in the Spain coach being one of those giving him a standing ovation, was almost certainly not something he will look back. as his finest hour.
His new contract, due to expire on June 30, was finally confirmed 11 days before Spain’s Euro 2024 opener against Croatia on Saturday.
De la Fuente renewed his contract at a slower rate than expected after his success at work, which bothered him. At press conferences, he often seems like someone asking for more respect and recognition.
His players speak highly of him and only 10 players who participated in the last World Cup are part of the squad this time. The only World Cup winner still in existence is Jesus Navas.
De la Fuente is a democratic leader who likes to listen to his assistants and group leaders. His preferred formation is 4-2-3-1, but Rodri – this team’s leader on the field – likes to play alone in midfield and this will leave Pedri closer to the main striker in a 4-3-3 line above.
Although Luis Enrique’s World Cup team was a possession-based team with a surprising lack of alternatives, De la Fuente insisted on giving his team a variety of solutions.
They can play at home with players like Dani Olmo, Pedri and Fabian Ruiz, but also mix it up with revolutionary players like Lamine Yamal (who will turn 17 on July 13, the day before the final) and Nico Williams on the flanks. Both will start against Croatia.
Rodri is the leader of the Spanish team
Manchester City’s Rodri has established himself in the vital defensive midfield position, as indispensable for his country as he is for his club, and a more than worthy successor to Sergio Busquets.
Álvaro Morata may well be Spain’s captain, but no one doubts for a second that Rodri is the team’s leader. A thinking man with a winning mentality.
Focus has never been a problem for Rodri.
As a student at Atlético de Madrid, he found himself with two hours to kill after classes ended and before training began. Time he took advantage of to study in the office of President Enrique Cerezo, who made room for him.
At the beginning of his professional career at Villarreal, he completed a business administration course. He was 19 years old.
Pedri ‘in a big moment’
Jordi Alba also called it a day and brought on Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Bayer Leverkusen’s Alex Grimaldo, while in midfield all eyes are on the prodigiously talented Pedri.
Despite having suffered a series of injuries, Pedri has always been a fundamental part of De la Fuente’s plan.
Considered by almost everyone at Barcelona to be the natural successor to Andrés Iniesta, Pedri played an unacceptable 73 games in his first season before his body broke down.
Nine injuries over the last three years – eight of them muscle injuries – have caused him to miss a total of 85 games. “The problem isn’t Pedri,” said someone from Barcelona. “It’s permanent chaos at Barcelona. The management of injuries has been very bad, several times they forced him to play early when he shouldn’t have.”
Still in the last campaign, the Canarian suffered three injuries and missed 25 games. De la Fuentes remained in constant contact with the midfielder during his injury nightmares.
When asked if he was afraid of collapsing again, Pedri replied: “I think the press is the one who is afraid because that’s what they constantly talk about.”
Of all La Roja’s current players, he has the fewest minutes in 2023-24 (2,148), unlike Rodri, who has 4,935.
“It’s been a complicated season, but I’m in a great moment,” said Pedri, before scoring twice in Spain’s 5-1 friendly win against Northern Ireland in Mallorca on Saturday.
The collective spirit and unity of Spain
It’s been nine years since De la Fuente led Spain to UEFA European Under-19 Championship glory, five since they won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship and just under three since his young side won the medal silver at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Selecting his squad involves much more than just picking individual stars, but rather building a team around those he knows and trusts.
It was in the Greek city of Katerini, in July 2015, that De la Fuente’s Spain won the U19 Euros with a double pivot in midfield made up of Rodri and Mikel Merino, a combination that is still very recognizable today.
The two players have accumulated almost 30 appearances together in all categories of the national team under the guidance of De la Fuente.
Goalkeeper Unai Simon has also been at De la Fuente since the victory in Greece. Cucurella captained the winning Under-21 team, alongside other pillars such as Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Oyarzabal, Merino, Fabian and Olmo.
Ferran Torres, not always a starter at Barcelona, is another De la Fuente player who the coach continues to call on and who always responds with goals.
The search for collective spirit and the option for those who know and trust best explains why players like Pau Cubarsi, Aleix Garcia, Marcos Llorente, Pedro Porro and Pau Torres failed to make the final squad.
Recently, Rodri said: “The objective is to win. And to return that competitiveness to Spain. Spain is a serious candidate. The group and this team are growing a lot.”
Now the conversation is over and Spain waits.
Will they be able to bring back the European Championship trophy for the first time since 2012?
