Pending the incorporation of the five footballers who participated in the European finals —Yeremy Pino with Crystal Palace; Mikel Merino, David Raya, and Martín Zubimendi with Arsenal; and Fabián Ruiz with PSG— the Spanish national team began its first day of preparation this Sunday to win the second World Cup star. Luis de la Fuente’s team had a mass gathering in an open-door training session that filled the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas with fans.
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More than 2,000 people gathered at 11:00 to watch Luis de la Fuente’s squad’s first training session. Some even stayed at the gates unable to enter due to capacity limits and tried to persuade the security guards and the Civil Guard who were guarding the entrance. Hundreds of children ran back and forth looking for a spot to see their idols up close. Parents, meanwhile, sought shade to shelter from the heat. And when the players came out, the stands roared.
Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz started warming up with the group but separated when the rest began ball exercises, as they are currently recovering from injuries. It was then that the three approached the packed stands to sign autographs for those children who, full of hope, expect this team to give them the second star after not experiencing that 2010 South Africa final when Casillas lifted Spain’s first World Cup. The Barcelona prodigy and Pedri were the most acclaimed by the fans.
The next to pass by the lower section of the stands was Joan García. The goalkeeper, who will experience his first World Cup after a great season with Barcelona, was one of the players who spent the most time with the children. “Mom, mom, look. Joan García signed for me!” exclaimed a child joyfully after the goalkeeper signed his gloves.
Once the training ended, the rest of the squad approached the stands. Pedri, again the most acclaimed, along with Rodri. One of the boys ran up the stands to go to his father, took off his shirt, and started jumping with joy because Mikel Oyarzabal, the name printed on his shirt, had signed it for him.
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The coach spoke to the RFEF microphones and showed his excitement seeing the crowd that came to Las Rozas. “Seeing all the people who are behind us, with many red shirts, is a reason for satisfaction and happiness,” said De la Fuente. “Today we enjoy this atmosphere, the stands are full, and that makes us very happy. We are truly proud of the country we live in,” he added.
Celta de Vigo forward Borja Iglesias also expressed his gratitude for the “great atmosphere” at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas. “We are super grateful that they are here. These days, from Monday when the call-up was announced until Thursday, I didn’t stop. I had a lot of stimuli, many people writing to me. These last two days I was at home in Santiago with my friends, my family, with María. I am very excited,” detailed the Galician striker, who will also play his first World Cup.
Spain excites, and proof of this is the mass gathering the players had this Sunday morning. Before starting their World Cup journey, they will play two friendly matches. The first will be against Iraq — a qualified team placed in the group with France, Senegal, and Norway — next Thursday, June 4, at the Riazor Stadium in A Coruña (21:00, La1). The next day, the entire delegation will head to the United States, where, after a stopover in Nashville, they will land in Chattanooga, the team’s refuge for their North American adventure. The last test before the World Cup starts on June 11 will be a second friendly against Peru at the Cuauhtémoc Stadium in Puebla, Mexico (04:00 Spanish peninsular time on the night of June 8 to 9, La1).
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