**Lamine’s Great World Cup Moment Awaits, Says Spain Coach De la Fuente**
As Spain prepares for a highly anticipated semi-final clash against France in the World Cup, coach Luis de la Fuente has shared encouraging words for young forward Lamine Yamal, who recently celebrated his 19th birthday. De la Fuente emphasized the importance of embracing the moment rather than succumbing to nerves, suggesting that Lamine's most significant World Cup experience could still be on the horizon.
Lamine, who turned 19 just before the match in Dallas, has been gradually regaining his form after dealing with a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Barcelona earlier this year. Despite entering the tournament with some challenges, he has managed to score one goal, although he has yet to provide an assist.
De la Fuente, who has consistently advocated for a positive mindset among his players, reassured Lamine that he should focus on enjoying the game. "I’ve told him there is no need to worry – let him enjoy himself," he said. "I’m sure Lamine’s great World Cup day is still to come. I hope it’s tomorrow and, if not, then in the final, if we can get there."
The upcoming match against France is particularly significant, as the two teams faced off in last year's Nations League semi-finals, where Spain secured a thrilling 5-4 victory. However, De la Fuente acknowledged that this rematch presents a different challenge, especially considering Spain's near-collapse after leading 5-1 in that encounter. "We learn a lot from those matches, as they will have done," he noted. "We will try to repeat the scenarios where situations were favourable to us and not the others."
The coach framed the semi-final as a contest of "antagonistic styles" and highlighted the need for Spain to remain vigilant against France's potent attacking transitions. When asked about how to contain France's star forwards, including Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, De la Fuente affirmed that the coaching staff had conducted thorough analyses of their opponents. "They have players of exceptional calibre, but so do we," he remarked. "The key is to impose our own characteristics and style, and to neutralise the opposition."
Despite suggestions from France's coach Didier Deschamps that Spain may be the favourites in this match-up, De la Fuente dismissed the notion as irrelevant. "Being told you are favourites or not means nothing," he stated. "We are both great teams, like in the other semi-final (England v Argentina). I don’t understand why people say such things because whether we’re the favourites or not is completely irrelevant."
As the match approaches, De la Fuente conveyed a romantic view of football, encouraging his players to cherish the unique opportunity they have. He expressed the importance of enjoying the moment, stating, "We’re in a situation that might never happen again. We need to be ourselves, and that we be wary of the opposition’s strengths. We absolutely must believe we want to go through. We’ll give it our all to reach the final."
With the semi-final set to kick off, all eyes will be on Lamine Yamal and the Spanish squad as they aim to secure their place in the World Cup final against a formidable French side.