New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has backed Spain to win the World Cup ahead of their semi-final against tournament favourites France. The European champions face a tough test against Didier Deschamps' side, who have won all six of their World Cup games, scoring 16 goals and conceding just two.
Spain, who beat England in the Euro 2024 final, struggled in the group stage with a goalless draw against Cape Verde but have improved, overcoming Austria in the round of 32 and securing a late 2-1 victory over Belgium in the quarter-finals courtesy of Arsenal's Mikel Merino.
Alonso's Optimism for Spain
Alonso, a World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, expressed confidence in his compatriots. 'Actually seeing all the Spain games, it brings me a lot of memories from the World Cup that we won,' he said at his Chelsea unveiling. 'Because of the team, because of the energy that they transmit, because of the control they have on the games. We have many reasons to be optimistic for sure. Whatever will happen with France, it is going to be a fantastic game to watch, so really looking forward to it. They have a great team and I can see them winning this World Cup for sure. They play really good and they have a really strong team.'
Impact on Chelsea's Preparations
Several Chelsea players, including England's Reece James and Argentina's Enzo Fernandez, are still involved in the World Cup. Alonso acknowledged the challenge of preparing for his first season at Chelsea with key players absent. 'It was already in the plan, so it is not a big surprise that at this stage we still have some players,' he said. 'I am happy for them because what they are living is an unforgettable experience. Hopefully at the end we will have a world champion when they come back to Cobham and we will celebrate that. But we adapt, we have to be flexible in that situation and we will have to speed it up in preparation with some players, but it is going to happen.'
Other Semi-Final: Argentina vs England
The second semi-final on Wednesday sees defending champions Argentina take on England. Argentina have had a rocky path, needing extra time to beat Cape Verde and coming from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt. England, runners-up at Euro 2024, impressed with a win over co-hosts Mexico in the round of 16 and a narrow extra-time victory against Norway in the quarter-finals.
