'Constant presence' - Chelsea star praised after 7/10 performance for his country
One of Chelsea’s key men was in international action on Sunday night.
A Chelsea star was in action for his nation on Sunday night, playing a part in a comfortable away win. Spain took control of their qualifying group by defeating Türkiye 6-0 with a hat-trick from Mikel Merino, a brace from Pedri and a goal from Ferran Torres off the bench.
Spain have looked near-unstoppable for over a year, with the Nations League final penalty shootout defeat to Portugal the only exception, and they will surely go into the World Cup as the favourites.
Luis de la Fuente has put together a superb group, and Chelsea star Marc Cucurella has been a staple of his starting XIs throughout. the energetic full-back started against Türkiye, too, and put in a solid performance. Goal ES rated the players, and giving Cucurella a 7/10, they reasoned: “A constant presence out on the wide left. He kept Yunus Akgun silenced.”
Spain are now top of their group after two games, and they will be fully expected to win their group, especially given the Türkiye side they just beat by six away from home are seen as the main contenders for top spot.
Speaking after the game, De la Fuente said: “Today we were flawless, there's not much more to say. We didn't want to repeat the mistakes we made against Bulgaria on Thursday. Today, we started thinking about how to be even better next month! You are talking to a manager who is proud of his players, of the national team, and of representing the country in the way we are. The team continues to grow and grow, and I am the first to be surprised,"
"This is a team that needs little instruction. They grasp the message quickly. We didn't want to repeat the same mistakes as on Thursday against Bulgaria. It's a demonstration of a generation of footballers who never tire of working and improving. Today, we are already thinking about what to do in the next matches to be a little better."
He added on the possibility of a Spanish Ballon d’or winner: “We remember Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso, Raul, players who, in my opinion, should not only have fought for a Ballon d'Or, but should have actually won it. That said, whenever there is a Spanish footballer on that shortlist I feel happy, and there are very good players. I believe that in many positions we have the best footballers in the world. As for the awards, I don’t know, but I do believe that in many positions we really do have the best."
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