Luis de la Fuente has played down any lofty comparisons to the great Spain teams of the past despite his side’s strong start to Euro 2024.
Spain secured their place in the last 16 with a game to spare — one of only three teams to do so — with wins over 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia and defending Euros champions Italy in their first two Group B matches.
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Their performances so far in Germany have seen some onlookers compare the 2024 side to those that won three consecutive major tournaments, including two European Championships, between 2008 and 2012.
De la Fuente, though, is content to keep expectations measured for his young group.
“We take them with the same calm that we use to advise our young players to manage their emotions,” he said ahead of Monday’s final group-stage game with Albania.
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“The feeling is that we are doing a good job so far. We had a development plan, and it’s on track.
“We wanted a competitive team which could read what every moment of the games demand. This is what makes it difficult to control in my opinion.
“Having said that, we still have a long way to go to match the level of the 2008 Spain squad.”
Germany and Portugal have also impressed on their way to the knockout phase but for other pre-tournament favourites, including England, Italy and Belgium, there have been slower starts.
De la Fuente believes when the business end of the competition arrives the contenders will truly reveal themselves.
“We have not seen the real face of many teams,” he said. “There are some of the biggest candidates who have reached a great level very soon, but some of what you call favorites have not set their machinery in full power yet.
“I think we will see that from the round of 16, when there’s no room for mistakes. Teams will get to their best.”
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(Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)