It's a strange World Cup from every angle, where spaces do not appear and rivals sit very deep. Since the departure of Lopetegui, just a couple of days before making their debut in the World Cup after arranging his contract with Real Madrid during his stay in Russia, Spain's chances were completely twisted. Although they made their debut with a 3-3 draw against Portugal, being totally dominant, their performance was not what was expected.
They narrowly defeated Iran (1-0) and drew with Morocco (2-2). They were on the brink of elimination and a disgrace, but managed to reach the knockout stages. Fernando Hierro, who took the reins of the team at the last minute, spoke at a press conference and, between the lines, complained about some tactical setups from the opponents.
"We have explored all the options to avoid reaching a penalty shootout. Every day it is more difficult to attack. Russia's defense is very strong and powerful," said the former Real Madrid defender. And he insisted: "Football is evolving, trends are changing. We had the mindset of continuing our personality, the style of play that led us to success. We leave the World Cup without having lost."
Russia, a very complicated rival. "We knew it was going to be a difficult match. There is no reproach. There are 15 players who have given their all."
Despite being heavily criticized for some changes he made and leaving Iniesta on the bench (he came on in the second half), the coach did not engage in self-criticism. "After the group stage, there are no second chances. The game needed patience and personality, and that's what we did. Every minute of the game we had a lot of people attacking. We had chances, and aside from the penalty, De Gea did not have to intervene," analyzed the man who would leave the short-lived position he had in this World Cup.