EXCL: Jose Enrique believes the current Spain team can approach the golden generation of 2008-2012
Spain have made an excellent start to Euro 2024, winning their opening two matches against good opponents: 3-0 vs Croatia, and 1-0 vs Italy. Not only were the results good, the performances were also excellent. This has led many observers to raise their expectations of La Roja's potential success in Germany.
One person who loved Spain from the start was former Villarreal, Newcastle United and Liverpool defender Jose Enrique. Speaking in collaboration with Grosvenor Sporttold Football España why he believes Luis de la Fuente's side have what it takes to go this far this summer.
“I was the first to say that Spain is one of the underdogs. They are no longer one of the favorites after the golden generation of Villa, Torres, Iniesta and co, but the reality is that we still have a good team. key for us is that we are no longer just a tiki-taka team – we have Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal on the wings, it helps a lot because Spain always played in the middle. We should have had the number 10 before, rather than the real wing, but now we have players who can take on opponents in 1v1 situations.
“We were great against Italy, and also great in the first round (against Croatia). The reality now is that we are one of the favorites to win the competition. Of course, there are still many very good national teams in Germany.
“We dominated the game against Italy, who were very defensive. We just killed it, we had many chances but we won with an own goal. We need to improve our finishing, but the reality is that Spain plays really well.
It looks like the beginning of a new era in Spanish football. De la Fuente's reign got off to a bad start last March with defeat in Scotland in Euro 2024 qualifying, but since then, Spain have been almost perfect. They won the Nations League last summer after beating Italy and Croatia again in Holland, so could it be back-to-back continental championships for La Roja?
Enrique first touched on the Spanish golden generation of 2008-2012, when the national team won Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 in a quarter-three span under the leadership of Luis Aragones before, and then Vicente del Bosque. He believes that the current group has the potential to bring more success in Spain, and he explained why.
“I think yes, yes. However, we do not have a great striker. Alvaro Morata had a great season, but he is not in the same caliber as David Villa or Fernando Torres. But today, it is important that we have wings that are so strong in 1v1 situations in Nico (Williams) and (Lamine) Yamal. With these two, anything can happen.
“In the middle, we have Pedri. He has a similar profile to Xavi or Iniesta, although he has a long way to go to reach his levels. We also have Rodri, the best number six in the world. Fabian is also a top player. We have a lot of boxes ticked to be one of the best national teams now and in the future. The only problem is the striker, but let's see how Morata does for the rest of the tournament.
“I think it can be a good era for Spain. If we can win a tournament, it can give us the confidence to continue.”
It is easy to see why there is a certain confidence in the current culture of Spanish players. There are many talented young players in the national team – this includes the aforementioned Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal and Pedri, but there are also Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez, Alex Baena, Samu Omorodion, Hector Fort and many, many more. no longer. De la Fuente could be the perfect coach to mix these players into La Roja, as he previously managed the U19s and U21s. He knows how to manage young people to their full potential.
Back this summer, Enrique has raised the bar on the squad that de la Fuente has at his disposal. Based on the opening two games, he gave his assessment of the most crucial players of La Roja – the one who could disappear to a fourth European Championship title.
“The three key players for Spain are Rodri, Nico (Williams) and (Lamine) Yamal. If those three play, we are able to beat anyone. The two wings can cause a lot of problems for the opposition's defense, they can create more space in the middle of the midfield to dominate. And with Rodri, it is crucial to dictate how Spain plays. He has a deeper role with the national team – in Man City he plays as a box-to-box midfielder. the defense. I think he's our most important player.”
It seems to be a very exciting time for Spanish football, with so many promising young players coming through the ranks. With that in mind, it will also be interesting to see how La Rojita fares in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. For now, keep an eye out Spain go far to Euro 2024.
