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Forget what happened off Cape Verde
With a confident tone and an ambition that knows no bounds, Pau Kobarci has stepped forward to put the dots on the letters ahead of the upcoming clash between Spain and Saudi Arabia.
The young La Roja defender did not shirk responsibility after the poor draw against Cape Verde, but rather criticized the performance in the first encounter, raising the bar of the challenge;
Spain are set to face their Saudi counterpart next Sunday, a test that cannot be split in two, after a goalless draw against Cape Verde in the opening round.
Attending the 2026 World Cup to make history
Koparchi, appearing in his first World Championship, seemed to have come to terms with his young age and the pressure of the event.He said during the introductory press conference of the Saudi Arabia meeting. “I haven’t had the chance to watch many World Cups because I’m very young, but now that I’m here, I have a great desire to do well.”
He added about the moment of his first appearance in the Spanish shirt at the World Cup. “I was proud of myself… and most importantly, I remembered my family. It was a dream I had since childhood.”
Pressure … and inner circle
The young defender admitted that pressure is an integral part of the game, but revealed his secret weapon.
Regarding his partnership with Aymeric Laporte in the heart of the defense, Koparsi explained: “The four defenders on the roster, any one of them can play in the starting lineup.”
“It’s true, I play more with Laporte and he helps me a lot with his experience and we correct each other’s mistakes.”
Koparsi refused to make promises in case of winning the title, stressing. “I didn’t think about it, I only think about winning the cup, and after that we talk about what we have to do.”
De La Fuente’s messages…and 32 games without defeat
Koparsi conveyed the instructions of coach Luis de la Fuente to the players. “We need more enthusiasm and ambition in front of goal, especially with the rhythm of turning the ball around to tire the opposition.”
Despite the slip-up against Cape Verde, he emphasized his full confidence in the project. “We are playing 32 matches without defeat and we are performing at a good level not only this year, but also in previous years.”
He continued. “We cannot stop this trend. We didn’t have a great match, but we come with new energy.”
Pedri.. and Amen, Mal
Koparsi praised his counterpart Pedri, describing him as “an amazing player who can play in all positions”, stressing that De La Fuente’s positional decisions “are made for a reason”.
He said about Lamine Yamal. “We all have a great desire to play. Nobody likes injuries, but Lamine has a very good mentality and knows his frame. We have a great squad and if he is involved, he will help us as much as possible and whoever replaces him will do the same.”
Spain enters the match against Saudi Arabia with the slogan “There is no substitute for victory”, and Koparsi promises the fans.
