STUTTGART, Germany – Spain coach Luis de los Ángeles Fuente said his plos angelesyers are “insatiable” for more good luck at Euro 2024 after making history by disposing of hosts Germany at the Stuttgart Arena on Friday.
Mikel Merino scored a stunning goal in the 119th minute as Spain beat the hosts in a primary tournament for the first time in 10 tries after Florian Wirtz canceled out Dani Olmo’s opener in time.
Spain will face France in the semi-final in Munich on Tuesday and De los Angeles Fuente expects his run to continue until the final in Berlin on July 14.
“We are living history,” said the coach in the press conference after the game. “It is the first time that five consecutive Euros or World Cups have been won.
“It’s also the first time we’ve beaten the hosts in one of the primary tournaments. It is time to put a price on what we have achieved and on this historic moment.
“We will see how the story ends, but this team needs to go to the end. These players have heart. They are insatiable, they do not get tired of competing and running hard. They are ambitious. It is an honor We have players with those values. “
Spain have struggled against their hosts in primary tournaments before. They lost at the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and South Korea in 2002, while they were also painfully defeated by France in the final of Euro 1984.
It looked like more angst would ensue in Stuttgart when Wirtz equalised for Germany to make the game bigger after Olmo deflected a cross from Lamine Yamal.
Merino’s late goal finally got Spain over the backline, but De los Ángeles Fuente was still being asked why he had removed Yamal and Nico Williams, among others, after taking the lead, getting rid of the run risk of The Red on the counter.
“It depends on whether it’s smart to run or not,” he replied. We showed that without running [so much], we won the game. We had to run less and be more clinical in the final third. That was enough to win a tough game. “
A frenetic affair ended with 16 bookings and one red card (unlike Spanish defender Dani Carvajal), while Germany also committed 22 fouls to Spain’s 17.
De los Ángeles Fuente refused to criticize Germany’s technique but was not satisfied with the initial challenge from Toni Kroos, who is still playing his best game before retiring from football, on Pedri, who will likely miss the rest of the tournament due to to one knee. injury.
“No, because that’s football,” he responded when asked if he was surprised by Germany’s toughness. “I played football in the ’80s, so those things don’t scare me.
“I have one who says: ‘What do you want, to be kissed?’There is a referee to manage those things. We know that those games are played to the limit.
“Apart from that, Pedri at the end of a difficult challenge that may have been dealt with differently on the pitch. That deserved a red card. “
Merino, for his part, celebrated the winning goal, scored through Olmo, by going around the corner flag, imitating the birthday party his father threw when he scored in the same stadium a UEFA Cup worthy of Osasuna against Stuttgart in 1991.
“It may be the goal of my career because of the importance of the match, a quarter-final of the Euro Cup, in the last minute, to win it,” the Real Sociedad midfielder told reporters. journalists.
“At first I didn’t do it because I couldn’t see the ball. There was an incredible silence. I didn’t know if something had happened or not, so it took me a few seconds to realize that it was a goal.
“And then I celebrated like crazy. All my teammates came in droves and I learned it and we were about to win. I am very satisfied because it is my family circle.
“There are a lot of paintings, especially from my teammates, who did a wonderful job, and the fact that Germany equalized in the 90th minute was a setback, but it is praise for perseverance and I think we deserve it. “
In addition to losing Pedri to injury and Carvajal to suspension, Spain will have central defender Robin Le Normand in the semi-final after receiving his second yellow card in the final.