Enrique admitted that many people doubted his choice because he summoned young players with little experience in the big tournament and left out senior players, such as Sergio Ramos and David de Gea.
By
M YUNIADHI AGUNG AND M IKHSAN MAHAR from Doha, Qatar
·5 minutes read
AFP/JAVIER SORIANO
Spanish coach Luis Enrique.
DOHA, KOMPAS — The Spanish national team is coming to the 2022 World Cup with the target of playing seven matches to reach the final. Spanish coach Luis Enrique believes the boys in his team can be relied on in Qatar. They will prove this in their first match against Costa Rica on Wednesday (23/11/2022) at 11 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB), at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
Enrique brought a squad that is risky for Qatar. He formed a team whose average age is 25.3 years.
For the average age of the squad, Spain is younger than Ghana (24.7 years) and the United States (25.2 years). With that average age, most of the Spanish players were still in elementary school when Carlos Puyol lifted the 2010 World Cup trophy in South Africa.
Of the 26 names in team Spain at the 2022 World Cup, only six players have ever defended the "La Roja" banner in the biggest football tournament. They are being led by Sergio Busquets, who has experience competing in three World Cups and is the only remaining Spanish golden generation to win the trophy in South Africa in 2010.
There are Jordi Alba, Cesar Azpilicueta and Koke, who have participated since Brazil 2014. Two other players are the Real Madrid duo, Daniel Carvajal and Marco Asensio, who have defended La Roja since Russia 2018.
As a result, Qatar 2022 will be a World Cup debut for 20 players. If we trace back the participation in major tournaments, there are five players who made their debut for Spain in top-level tournaments.
The five players are Gavi and Ansu Fati (Barcelona), Hugo Guillamon (Valencia), Yeremy Pino (Villarreal) and Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao). They could even defend Spain U-21.
“I think the presence of these young people is very positive. They bring immense energy to the team. To make up for the lack of experience, I help them along with the coaching staff and senior players so they can bring out their best for the first match against Costa Rica," Enrique said in a press conference ahead of the match in Doha, on Tuesday (22/11).
We have proven that we can eliminate the inexperienced factor and the nervousness of supporting each other.
Enrique admitted that many people doubted his choice because he summoned young players with little experience in the big tournament and left out senior players, such as Sergio Ramos and David de Gea. However, the Spanish team in the 2022 World Cup consists of the best players who can fulfill the needs of the game and tactics they choose.
”We got together and trained in nine days, the perfect duration to prepare and keep the enthusiasm high in the team. I want us to play seven matches, which means appearing in the final, so we have to play each game to the fullest," he said.
Busquets, midfielder and captain of Spain, said the quality of the young players need not to be doubted. They have honed their skills and performed consistently in the best leagues, such as the Spanish, English, French and German Leagues.
“In the European Cup, we performed well with almost the same conditions for the young squad. We have proven that we can eliminate the inexperienced factor and the nervousness of supporting each other,” said Busquets.
AFP/JAVIER SORIANO
Spain's midfielder Rodri (front R) takes part in a training session at the Qatar University Training ground in Doha on November 22, 2022, on the eve of their Qatar 2022 World Cup football match between Spain and Costa Rica.
Variety of positions
In order to avenge the disappointment after being eliminated in the semifinals of the 2020 European Cup and failing in the final of the 2020-2021 European League, Enrique still applies the main 4-3-3 formation.
Despite implementing familiar tactics, Enrique tries to provide variety with the presence of players who appear in "odd" positions.
As a coach, this condition is very good because I have many possibilities to apply in complicated matches.
He really expects the majority of his players to be able to play in two positions. For example, Enrique prepared midfielder Rodri as center back, then center back Aymeric Laporte was assigned as left wing back and Marco Asensio, a wing striker, was tried as center forward.
"As a coach, this condition is very good because I have many possibilities to apply in complicated matches," he said.
Opta notes that La Roja will make their 100th goal in the World Cup when they score the first goal against Costa Rica. The opportunity was wide open because of Spain's positive statistics against the Central American team in the World Cup, with two wins and one draw.
Two legends
Costa Rica relies heavily on senior players and living legends of football, such as goalkeeper Keylor Navas (35) and attacking midfielder Bryan Ruiz (37). Navas, for example, played with Real Madrid for five seasons, representing 12 trophies.
Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez will use the experience of the two to help create the element of surprise. He admitted that the match against Spain would be a very hard match.
“We have to play very well. Not only about strategy and tactics, but also having to maintain concentration and focus for more than 90 minutes," said Suarez in Doha.
Ruiz said that Spain is the mecca of Costa Rican football. Starting from the club to the national team, they are very ambitious to be able to play La Roja-style attack football.
"Our style is the same as theirs [Spain], but indeed our abilities are still below theirs. Even so, I'm sure we can perform competitively and provide resistance to Spain," said Ruiz who is now defending Alajuelense in the Costa Rican League.
The other match in Group E will bring Germany and Japan together on Wednesday at 8 p.m. WIB. The match will take place at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.
