Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has lavished praise on Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi, describing him as the second-best midfielder in the world behind Rodri, following Spain's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the World Cup round of 16 on Monday.
Zubimendi praised despite lack of game time
Zubimendi, who joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in a £60 million deal last year, played a pivotal role in the Gunners' Premier League title triumph under Mikel Arteta last season. However, the 26-year-old has yet to feature at the World Cup this summer, having been an unused substitute in all five of Spain's matches so far.
Despite his lack of minutes, De la Fuente was effusive in his assessment of Zubimendi's abilities. "Rodrigo is the guiding light of this team, a player with exceptional vision, which is why he is the best player in the world in his position, and behind him is Martin Zubimendi, who is the second-best player in the world in that position," the Spain boss said after the match.
Merino's winner secures quarter-final spot
Zubimendi's Arsenal teammate Mikel Merino came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time winner against Portugal, securing Spain's place in the quarter-finals where they will face Belgium on Friday. De la Fuente praised the impact of his substitutes, saying, "The important players are those who come off the bench, who make all the work of their teammates who came before them worthwhile and gave us that energy to finish the game."
He added: "We were thinking about giving them a bit of a rhythm to face extra time with the energy needed right after coming onto the pitch. The contribution of those players was masterful. We have 26 players of an extremely high level."
De la Fuente on Rodri and Lamine Yamal
De la Fuente also highlighted the influence of Manchester City's Rodri, describing him as "the guiding light of this team." He singled out teenage winger Lamine Yamal for special praise, saying, "For me, Lamine played one of the most important matches of his life, one that will help him continue to grow. He worked incredibly hard, he suffered for the team, and Nuno Mendes' injury was probably because he pushed him to the limit."
Spain's victory sets up a highly anticipated quarter-final clash with Belgium, as they continue their quest for a second World Cup title.
