Abraracurcix, the chief of the Gallic village of Asterix, was only worried that the sky was falling on him. For Luis de la Fuente, The only worry before playing in the World Cup final is that he has to return by helicopter to the concentration hotel. FIFA has altered World Cup customs, moving the previous press conference to two days before the final and to a stage far from the stadium where the match will be played, to a convention center in New York. “I’m quite nervous because we’re going back by helicopter.We came by helicopter and we’re coming back and that makes me nervous. The rest, no. It’s lucky and what we want is to enjoy this great moment. From this tranquility, having all the senses focused on the final,” explains the Spanish coach.
Spain has been overcoming phases and has been adapting to all the particularities of a special tournament, with breaks for advertising disguised as hydration breaks in stadiums with a temperature of 18 degrees due to the air conditioning, with time zone changes and now with a show at half-time in the final. “Before starting this journey we had a meeting with the players and I told them how this peculiar tournament was going to develop. We talked about time change, long trips and I ended up saying “gentlemen, this is what it is“And from that day until today not a reproach or anything like it. I also think that what seems strange to us today is possible that in a few years it will be something common and throw away football. We don’t know, it could be. It is what it is, adaptation, which is accepting what you cannot change and since you cannot change, to enjoy it,” he says.
De la Fuente is calm and Messi does not make him change his approachesalthough an Argentine journalist asks him if he plans to individually mark Messi. “I met Leo training in the lower categories of Sevilla and we played against Barcelona. They had told me about a boy called Messi. We marked him individually, in the 70th minute we were 0-0 and the boy who marked him got a card and I changed him. In fifteen minutes we lost 4-0“recalls the Spanish coach.
Argentina has Messi and Spain has Lamine Yamal, although the winger did not train on Thursday with the rest of the group. “Lamine is fine. All the players have trained well. Tomorrow we have a training session, one of the most critical moments because there are no hours to recover. Lamine has to be Lamine. Messi is an unrepeatable player, a huge talent, an example for younger athletes, but Lamine has to be Lamine. The way we can best help them is by supporting him to be the best Lamine we have ever known,” he explains. The player has a blow, “a sandwich” for Digne’s entry in the penalty awarded in favor of Spain.
The La Roja coach also remembered his friendship with the Argentine coach before the final. “Scaloni and I are very excited. We are two great competitors, we are happy to be able to face each other. We have mutual admiration“he says.