Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has lavished praise on Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi, calling him 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.
De la Fuente's high praise for Zubimendi
Speaking after the match, De la Fuente said: '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.'
Zubimendi, who joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in a £60 million deal last year, played a key role in the Gunners' Premier League title triumph under Mikel Arteta last season. However, he has yet to feature at the World Cup this summer, remaining an unused substitute in all five of Spain's matches.
Merino's winner secures quarter-final spot
Zubimendi's Arsenal teammate Mikel Merino entered the game as a substitute and scored a dramatic injury-time winner against Portugal, booking Spain's place in the quarter-finals against Belgium on Friday. De la Fuente praised the contributions 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.'
Zubimendi's role and future prospects
Despite Zubimendi's lack of playing time, De la Fuente remains a huge admirer. 'I already said it, if necessary, I would have gone to pick Mikel up from his house,' the coach stated. 'He's a fantastic player for everything he gives us, and I also want to highlight the contribution of the players who come on in the second half, just like in the European Championship, and that shows the great professionalism of everyone.'
De la Fuente also praised teenage winger Lamine Yamal, who started the match: '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. We need him to keep growing and giving these kinds of performances.'
Spain's growth and quarter-final challenge
Reflecting on the team's performance, De la Fuente said: 'The team continues to grow. Today's match was exceptional for both sides, with some outstanding moments of football. We are fortunate to have a team that knows how to compete until the very last second.'
Spain will now face Belgium on Friday for a place in the semi-finals, with Zubimendi hoping to finally make his World Cup debut.
