Spanish fans are confident of beating England

“It undoubtedly surprises you more than it surprises us,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente told his country’s journalists.

his team did just beat france The European Championship semi-finals set up a showdown with England in Sunday’s final.

And surprise – the pleasant kind – is probably the best word to describe what many Spanish fans have been feeling throughout this tournament.

As the Euros began, expectations were low on the sun-filled streets of Spain, but it soon became a national jubilation, helping to bring this deeply divided country together.

There is a lot of difference in trials and tribulations Supporters of the Three Lions.

Jorge Gallego, a Spain fan in Madrid, said, “At first my friends and I thought that the players selected were a very personal choice of the coach and did not represent the opinion of the majority of Spaniards.”

“We didn’t expect to reach the final but throughout the tournament we started to realize that we could go much further.”

While there are an estimated 11,500 Spanish fans went to berlin for the finalTo watch it at home, huge screens are being installed in parks, sports centers and intersections.

Here in Madrid, local officials have said that, if Spain wins, there will be a victory celebration around the Plaza de Cibeles in the center of the capital.

Meanwhile, players are being lauded, among them defender Mark Cucurella, who has become a folk hero because of his big hair and an online song about him that has gone viral.

The song involves paella and beer – a chant often heard in the stands of his league club, Chelsea.

Exciting atmosphere about football This contrasts with Spain’s rancorous and often toxic politics, where the left-wing government and right-wing opposition rarely agree on anything.

The football team provides a rare rally point, Parties and politicians have celebrated not only the results but also the emergence of players like Lamin Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday and has become a star.

The team also represents the multicultural reality of Spain. Yamal’s father is Moroccan and his mother is from Equatorial Guinea, while Nico Williams’ Ghanaian parents arrived in Spain after traveling across the Sahara Desert and crossing the fence surrounding the enclave of Melilla.

Yamal has underlined his humble origins, raising his fingers after scoring to show postcode 304, the working-class, multi-cultural district of the Catalan city of Mataró where he grew up.

It is a place that Manuel Gavira, a member of the far-right Vox party, once called a “multi-cultural dung heap”.

But the overwhelming sensation is that Spaniards are embracing their team both for its performance and for what it represents.

El Periodico newspaper said, “A young Spain, courageous and revitalized, has become a mirror for a country that has changed and is multi-racial and diverse”.

Even King Felipe praised Yamal’s “sparkle”, saying that the men’s team radiated “excitement, joy and safety”.

It is easy to forget that objections were raised to Yamal’s selection and allegations that de la Fuente – a relatively junior coach who had never worked with a top-flight club – did not have the experience to succeed.

At first glance, this team was a far cry from the star-studded side that won two European titles and the World Cup between 2008-2012.

Now, it feels like the national team has returned to the elite, restoring Spanish fans’ self-esteem in the process.

The results are a clear cause for new confidence. That includes six wins from six – a first for any team at the Euros – against opponents that include not only Didier Deschamps’s France, but also hosts Germany and Euro 2020 champions Italy.

The style of those victories has also been important. Gone is the close-passing, possession-based “tiki-taka” game that had brought Spain so much success in the past. Instead, Spain are playing more simply, with their two rising stars, Williams and Yamal, wreaking havoc.

The result is a less controlled and more thrilling style than in the past.

Spanish fans, who hate dull football, have bought into it.

“Without a doubt Spain is going to win,” said Luis García, a Venezuelan expatriate who supports Spain.

“They have shown that they are the best team. It’s amazing how much the team has improved with the younger generation of players and our hopes are pinned on these kids.”