MADRID, 11 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national football coach, Luis de la Fuente, assured that, in the case of Real Madrid player Brahim Díaz and his possibility of being called up for Spain, that “the most important thing is to want, without demands or conditions”, after the playmaker had chosen to Morocco to debut with a senior team.
“I totally and absolutely respect their position. Each one is free to make the decisions they have to make. But I have also always said that there are always three maxims when it comes to being a selected player. There are three maxims. One, in this case , that he can play for the national team, that he is selectable. Two, that he wants to do it. And three, that the coach selects him,” explained the man from Haro at the ‘EFE Sport Business Days’ meeting.
The coach thus confirmed Brahim’s decision to play at senior level with Morocco, after having been a fixture with the Spanish youth teams. “The most important thing is to love, without demands, without conditions, with equal rights and obligations with the rest,” De la Fuente insisted.
“He hasn’t spoken to him. I call or I don’t call. Brahim has been with me more than with any coach. I have demonstrated appreciation and value for him and, I insist, I wish him all the best. Everyone is free to make the decisions they Take it, and total and absolute respect,” the Rioja native reiterated before the media.
Thus, De la Fuente highlighted the relevance of the feeling of belonging, expressing that “there is nothing more important than doing something freely, convinced that you want to do it.” “Doing something because you are free to choose and make decisions is the greatest energy that a human being can have. From that conviction, I believe you can grow,” he stated.
In addition, he had words for Pablo Páez Gavira ‘Gavi’, who suffered a serious knee injury in November of last year, jeopardizing his presence in this summer’s Euro Cup. “I have contact with the people of players who are injured, because it is the hardest and ugliest part of football. You need support, closeness and normally the opposite happens. When someone is injured, people forget. I like to be close, Gavi is an endearing person, very loved within our group,” he praised.
And he also remembered the “talent” of Lamine Yamal. “They are very good, special and different footballers, they are touched with that wand of God. Not all footballers have that process so fast, because some need another path and perhaps be calmer. But that is what talent demands. They show that with possibilities , with opportunities, with confidence, with security, talent that works hard has the possibility of achieving success,” he highlighted.
“This is about Spain, it has to be a pride to come to the national team, you can’t give away being in the national team, you have to give value to being there. People have to be proud to be there, knowing how difficult it is. Coming to the Spanish team has to be a source of pride, a reward and happiness for the footballer, because he sees that reaching the national team is a maximum at a professional level that he can acquire,” he added about Yamal’s commitment.
Finally, De la Fuente recalled that on the day of his presentation as senior coach, in December 2022, “I was happy, content.” “I had never thought of reaching the senior team, I was completing stages, I was completing cycles, I was doing my job, enjoying day by day. I understood that it was another step in my career and, as I believe that I am prepared and as I was convinced that I could do it, I faced it with total and absolute normality and naturalness,” he concluded.