A golden touch from Luis de la Fuente, coach of the Spanish national football team 'La Roja', guided them to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup on Friday, after Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Merino, two players who stood out thanks to his bold lineup decisions, scored the goals in a thrilling 2-1 win over Belgium in the quarterfinals. Fabian, who started surprisingly with Pedri on the bench, opened the scoring, before Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored the winner two minutes later, capitalizing on Belgium's substitute goalkeeper Sény Lammens' failure to hold Pau Cubarsí's low shot. De la Fuente told reporters: "It's not fair that Mikel doesn't start, but it's also unfair to leave out another player." The Spain coach added: "Only 11 can play, and they understand that – the role they have to play at any moment. They know what they have to do when they enter the pitch, and for that reason, it's a pleasure to be their coach." De la Fuente stressed that Spain, the European champions, reaching the semifinals was built on collective responsibility rather than individual brilliance. He said: "What matters is the team. It doesn't matter who starts the game. Everyone is important, even those who don't play." When asked how he keeps players satisfied despite fierce competition for places, De la Fuente praised their maturity and professionalism. He said: "One of our strengths as a team is that we not only have the best players in the world – and they truly are – but we also have the best people, people who make it easy for everyone to coexist." He continued: "So we shouldn't be surprised that they understand their roles, because I think this is possible in any field, any profession, and we build everything on respect, and this team is an example of that as well." Spain will play against France, the tournament favorites, on Tuesday in a match that will determine who reaches the final, and De la Fuente expects a tough encounter. He said: "France has already shown exceptional and impressive potential, and so have we. The match is wide open, and it will require energetic, lively players. But now that we've reached here, we will give our best."