Luis de la Fuente's tactical change to help the Spanish national team succeed with Pedri

The Spanish national team wasn't comfortable against France until the 15th minute of the first half. It was then that Pedri, who had started as a playmaker, swapped positions with Mikel Merino , Arsenal's false number 9 this season, to adjust the awkward ball-playing that France was subjecting them to. Spain's center backs, Huijsen and Le Normand , couldn't find Barça's mastermind because he was too far away.

However, Luis de la Fuente's tactical change saw the Canary Islands midfielder multiply his interventions on the ball. "When I'm in contact with the ball, I feel more comfortable. The coach told us to change, and it went better ," Pedri confessed after the match. From that moment on, with both players naturalized, Spain found a link in the game inside that catapulted Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, their two greatest attacking assets.

"When we have the ball, we have arrows up front that work their magic. It's important to give them every ball possible," Pedri replied. The Spanish national team has become a vertical, direct team that reaches the opponent's box with as few passes as possible . They don't mind losing possession and thrive on counterattacks. This Spain is, above all, the Spain of wingers.

The chaos after Pedri's departure

It was no coincidence that, after scoring the 4-0 goal in a move where he came on as a second-row forward and was substituted, the Spanish national team lost control of the match. The Canary Islander's exit, coupled with the slack resulting from the wide lead , France's drive , and the limited substitutions made, allowed France to pressure Spain and take the final 5-4 lead.

The Canary Islands midfielder was flattered to have his name among the possible winners of the Ballon d'Or, although everything points to Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé. " The most important thing is the team . I'm proud that my name appears in some of the lists for the awards; it reflects the good work we've done this season, but I 'm keeping my vote to myself ," the Spanish midfielder noted.

The domain that Spain seeks

" We didn't dominate the game as much as we would have liked , but we were effective up front. We scored when we had some . I have better memories now than at the Euros (he came off the pitch injured against Germany) ," concluded the Canary Islander. Pedri missed the final stretch of the Euros after suffering a heavy challenge from Toni Kroos. He hadn't been shining at a high level until then either.

In his place came Dani Olmo, who was absolutely vital in the attacking midfield for Spain's European Championship. The Tenerife native has had a stellar season in the midfield of Hansi Flick's FC Barcelona, ​​an ultra-attacking side that has also managed to bring out the best possible version of Pedri . The Canary Islander has transformed from a playmaker into a savvy, creative midfielder, capable of providing pace and sense of purpose for the Catalans' possession.

" Lamine has the ability to compete at that level, but so does Pedri and many other players who are part of this team," said Mikel Merino in the mixed zone. Vitinha, among others, awaits him in Portugal . Now, Luis de la Fuente 's big challenge, in addition to strengthening a defense that has weakened in recent matches , is to strengthen his best midfielder so that the Spanish national team can learn to manage its lead more comfortably and slow down when necessary.