Spain recapture 2010 spirit after reaching World Cup final: De la Fuente

After a masterclass against France in the semifinals, Spain are just one win from winning their second World Cup.Spain ‌manager Luis de la Fuente said his side had revived the spirit of their 2010 ⁠World Cup triumph after ⁠a commanding 2-0 win over France on Tuesday sent them into the final and left them one victory away from a second world title.Spain, who won their first World ⁠Cup 16 years ago, neutralised a France attack that had scored 16 goals before the semifinal and had been regarded as one of the tournament’s most dangerous.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘We kept finding ourselves outnumbered’: Mbappe rues World Cup semi losslist 2 of 3‘Don’t mind how we got here’: Argentina happy to be in World Cup semifinallist 3 of 3‘We have not peaked yet’, says Tuchel before England-Argentina semifinalend of listBut France did not manage a shot ⁠on target until after the 80-minute mark, missing the opportunity to reach a third consecutive final.Spain’s Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella celebrate after the match [Maria Lysaker/Imagn Images via Reuters]Spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe, Les Blues were the pre-tournament favourites in North America.“The message was that we were up against one of the best teams in the world, but that they were up against the best team in the world,” de la Fuente told a news conference.“These players show commitment, solidarity and talent. They make the difficult look easy. ‌They have talent and the right attitude towards life and sport.“I see a happy dressing room and a nation behind us. We’ve recaptured the spirit of 2010,” he added, referring to Iker Casillas-led Spain that lifted their maiden world title in South Africa 16 years ago.“The character of this team is evident in the fact that those who didn’t play have stayed behind to train after the match.”Goalkeeper Iker Casillas (C) raises the trophy as Spain’s players celebrate winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup [Gabriel Bouys/AFP]De la Fuente praised a squad he said had been built on humility, shared purpose and the absence of egos, saying Spain’s strength came from everyone moving in the same direction.