De la Fuente: 4 GKs called up because Raya has personal matters to attend to and may be unavailable

After announcing his latest Spain squad, head coach Luis de la Fuente took questions from the media at a press conference and offered his condolences to the family of Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel, who recently passed away.

What are your thoughts after attending Jesús de Miguel's funeral?

Seeing a family so devastated broke my heart; that is how I felt yesterday. We should focus our energy on what truly matters, and what matters most in life is people. This is a heavy blow for the entire football world, and we should remember those who have left us.

Do you think matches should still be played this weekend?

I believe the Spanish Football Federation has declared three days of mourning. As a player, I would hope that when I am gone, people would still remember me on the football pitch. I understand that everyone is sad, and I am only expressing what I would wish for myself: to be recognized and remembered on the pitch.

There are two new faces in this squad: fourth-choice goalkeeper Álvaro Valles and defender Jacobo Ramón.

Jacobo is performing exceptionally well right now, and we feel it is time to take a look at him. We selected four goalkeepers because David Raya has some personal matters to attend to, and we are not sure whether he will be available. We have been following Álvaro Valles since his time at Las Palmas, especially our goalkeeping coach Miguel Ángel España. He is in excellent form, so he has earned a place in the squad.

How many minutes will each player get?

No one will play more than 180 minutes. These two matches are crucial and mean a great deal to us.

Do you think the Ballon d'Or has lost some of its prestige?

For me, the Ballon d'Or represents joy. Being nominated is already a recognition, and I thank my coaching staff; I am very happy. As for other matters, that is a very personal opinion, and everyone has their own understanding of the sport.

You called up Roca, and Martín Zubimendi was also selected. Although he doesn't play much for Arsenal, you have great confidence in him.

We have the best defensive midfielders in the game: Martín Zubimendi and Rodri. I have always considered Rodri the number one in this position, with Martín Zubimendi second. Although Martín Zubimendi doesn't play much for his club, he has always performed excellently for the national team.

Of course, we can also call on excellent players like Roca. He is one of the players we have worked with the longest; we won the U21 European Championship together, and we really wanted to see him again. He has earned all of this on merit, and he fits our style of play very well.

The match against England is like a final. What kind of atmosphere do you expect at the Metropolitano Stadium?

I expect a fantastic atmosphere. It will be very passionate, and the fans will be very supportive. I remember how passionately people supported the players and the team on the day the World Cup trophy was displayed there. This will be a rematch of the European Championship final, but before that, we must play well against the Czech Republic.

If players want you to manage their playing time appropriately, how will you handle it?

In every match, we take into account the players' minutes and physical workload, but sometimes the flow of the game and various unexpected situations force us to change our plans. We are also very aware that the demands here are very high.

What do you think of Gavi's situation? What does he need to do to return to the national team?

Players selected for the national team must be performing at a high enough level, and that benefits everyone. Gavi must keep being himself; he knows that, like every other player, he has to keep improving to return to the national team.

Feijóo (leader of Spain's opposition People's Party) said that if the 2030 World Cup final is not held in Spain, Spain should withdraw its bid. Do you agree?

In my opinion, the 2030 World Cup final should be held in Spain, but my job is to build the best possible team and strive to win again.

If Josep Martínez had not been in the last squad, would Álvaro Valles have been selected?

I repeat, we have been considering Álvaro Valles for a long time and have been following him. The three goalkeepers originally selected were Joan, Unai, and David Raya, but David Raya might not be available, so another goalkeeper was given an opportunity. In my opinion, Spain has five goalkeepers who rank among the top ten in the world.

How do you communicate with players who deserve more playing time but aren't getting it, such as Martín Zubimendi?

I speak to them often, telling them to keep working hard. I look at things from a positive perspective; for example, Martín Zubimendi can come to the national team in excellent physical condition. Of course, I hope he plays more for his club, but that's just how it is.

Víctor was left out, and Ander Barrenetxea was selected.

Ander Barrenetxea has been with us for a long time, from the youth teams until now. He has performed well and has a lot of room to develop. He can play in several positions, on both the left and right flanks.

Mourinho said that in his management of Vinicius, 80% was gentle and 20% was tough. What is your ratio in this regard?

There is no such ratio. I think in daily interactions, you have to find a balance. You can't make unreasonable demands of others just because you think you're the boss. I'm not the boss; I simply work with the coaching staff to try to get the team performing at its best. Perhaps there are other management styles, but ours works.

What do you think of Jacobo's development?

Como is one of the best-playing teams in Europe, and their style is very similar to ours. Jesús Rodríguez has also been called up to the national team before. Jacobo has performed very well. In Spanish football, we are blessed with excellent conditions, but we often don't appreciate them. Nowadays, Spanish football is doing an excellent job in all areas, our players have a very good understanding of the game, and Spanish players are among the best in many respects.

Congratulations on being named Coach of the Year. How does it feel to win the award?

This award belongs to the coaching staff and everyone at the Spanish Football Federation. How could I not be happy when so much hard work has gone into it?