He was warned. The people of the communication team of the Spanish Federation had warned him – nor was he surprised – about the battery of questions that were going to fall around a name: Sergio Ramos. But Luis de la Fuente, who did not like a hair what the Sevillian did after the conversation they had, has not tempered bagpipes and has gone head-on. There have been eight questions related to the former captain, and listening to the answers draws a probably unexpected firmness in someone like him.

There were more than half a dozen questions, including the first four. And although the national coach said he would only speak once, he had no choice but to respond. "I'm not going to talk about people who aren't there, but I'm going to settle the issue of Sergio Ramos. From here I convey all my admiration and respect. We had a private conversation and I have a good habit of not airing my private conversations. Here is a new coach, with a new project and who bets on a series of players. I can't say anything more," he began.

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Euro'24 classification.

De la Fuente turns the National Team upside down: Kepa, Nacho, Zubimendi, Ceballos, Bryan Gil, Aspas and Joselu

  • Writing: EDUARDO J. CASTELAO Madrid

De la Fuente turns the National Team upside down: Kepa, Nacho, Zubimendi, Ceballos, Bryan Gil, Aspas and Joselu

But it had to continue. And he wanted to make it clear that he was upset that Ramos went public with the conversation. And I also wanted to make it clear that the one who has left is the player. "It wasn't a call, it was a video call. We told each other what we had to tell each other. The letter? You've all read it, nothing to say." Of course, questions followed. And the answers too. "I've never talked about age. It's uncertain that I limit players by age. The one who says goodbye to the selection is Ramos. If we're going to talk about this the whole press conference...," De la Fuente continued.

And the whole press conference was not discussed, because there was a truce and there was talk of Aspas, Nacho, Haaland (rival on the first day), of... But someone came back to the question of the former Real Madrid player. Two more questions. "The criteria that will dominate the decisions is mine. I don't have to talk about Sergio Ramos, I already talked to him what I had to talk about." And the final stroke: "It's not a question of opening or closing doors. I trust some players. Is Sergio Ramos on the list? Well, I trust these players more."

And an enigmatic closure. There are those who wanted to see in this sentence a last message to Sergio: "There are players who even playing a few minutes are able to have a behavior on the field that others who play many minutes in their clubs do not have." Here the emoticon of a guy thinking would be very good.

According to The Trust Project criteria

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  • Luis de la Fuente
  • football
  • Sergio Ramos
  • Spain national football team