Spain players during a training session. REUTERS
Spain’s Luis Enrique has disclosed the young players on his side will bring energy to the team while stating he remains the clear leader of the national side as they prepare to take on Costa Rica in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E opener at Al Thumama Stadium, today.
La Roja have the third youngest side at this year’s World Cup, behind the USA and Ghana. Luis Enrique has leaned closer to the young stars since returning to the helm in 2019, with his major move leaving off David De Gea and Sergio Ramos sending shock waves around the country.
Young stars like Pedri, Ansu Fati, and Gavi are all developing. They are touted as the future of the 2010 World Cup winners, with veterans like Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Cesar Azpilicueta all reaching the twilight of their careers.
“It’s very positive because young players bring energy to the team; we try to manage that with the experience we have as staff,” Enrique told reporters yesterday.
“I am delighted to be here, to debut as coach at a World Cup, enjoy this party of football, have the last training session this afternoon and take on the first game with joy,” he added.
Enrique said as the team’s leader, he has to make difficult decisions, picking who plays and who doesn’t.
“I have to say I am the leader because who will believe in what I tell them if there is any doubt? I decide who plays, when we travel, and how we play; I am a leader who gives solutions to the team.
The former Barcelona coach said it’s always a tough call to leave out some players citing replacing Jose Gaya with Alejandro Balde after the defender suffered a sprained ankle which Spanish media reports say has healed.
“I take decisions; if I took them by the heart, with what I feel for Gaya and his professionalism, then he’d still be here,” said the 52-year-old.
“I have to take them with my head. Two of the three games he would not have been 100 percent in, I was told it was an injury that would last 10 to 15 days. I had to take the best decision for the team and the country.”
Meanwhile, captain Busquets said he’s happy to be at another World Cup and will not decide on his international future yet. This would be the 34-year-old’s fourth World Cup – he won the 2010 tournament and said he’s dreaming of another World Cup with La Roja.
“I am here to enjoy it, whatever happens. Obviously, I am closer to this being my last World Cup. I won’t make any decisions during or afterwards,” Busquets said.
Experienced Costa Rica
However, it’s a contrast for Spain’s opponent Los Ticos, who have six players aged 30 and above, including 37-year-old captain Bryan Ruiz. The Central American team had their best World Cup finish in 2014 when they reached the quarter-finals before getting knocked out by the Netherlands on penalties. Los Ticos had topped their group at that tournament, beating the Netherlands and Italy and drawing against England.
“We’ve been together for 12 years, especially the captains. We are trying to lead our group, which is very strong, and this strength will make us keep on qualifying for World Cups,” Ruiz said yesterday.
“We are in this together until the end. So in Brazil, we achieved great things. Our team is very strong. The mentality has changed, we stopped thinking small, and now we dream big.”
Luis Suarez has built his Costa Rica side to be solid defensively, which has seen them concede only eight goals in qualifying, especially with veteran goalkeeper Jesus Navas as the last line of defence.
“The match against Spain is important for us and determines our path to the next round. We have to play with great courage and have the ability to outperform our opponents.”
“We have very experienced players who can add a lot to the youngsters, both on and off the field. We have had a year of total learning — this group is very strong mentally, and I have a good feeling about what they can do going forward,” he added.
When: Today at 7:00pm
Where: Al Thumama Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Key stats:
- Spain are now one of the dominant forces of the world game, recently having won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 as well as the World Cup in 2010.
- Between November 2006 and June 2009 Spain enjoyed a record-equalling 35 match unbeaten run which included a 15 game winning streak.
- Spain won six out of their eight 2022 World Cup qualifying games, losing 2-1 in Sweden and drawing 1-1 at home to Greece.
- Costa Rica are the third most successful CONCACAF nation and have qualified for three World Cup finals.
- Costa Rica have failed to win their last six matches at the World Cup (in regular time).
- Costa Rica have won two (v Uzbekistan and Nigeria) and drawn one (v Korea Republic) pre-World Cup friendlies.
Previous meetings:
The two countries have met only three times, all in friendly games. Spain won two of them — 2-1 in 2015 and 5-0 two years later — and one match ended in a 2-2 draw (2011).
