Spain boss Luis de la Fuente don tok say Pedri no fit play for national team di same way e dey play for Barcelona. Di coach yarn dis during interview with El Larguero afta e drop Pedri from starting XI for quarter-final win over Belgium.
“Pedri can’t play for us di way e play for Barça. Our style of play na different. We fit get some similarities, but e different,” De la Fuente explain.
E go on say playing for Spain “demand something different” and di national team “get different approach to football” compared to Barcelona. De la Fuente add say: “I don yarn with am and e feel very comfortable when e get final pass, shot, and run into di box. We get players like Rodri or Zubimendi wey influence di behavior of di player next to am. Pedri, because of im ability and talent, fit play as ‘6’, ‘8’, or ‘10’.”
Even though Pedri no show im best form for di tournament, De la Fuente still back am: “I love how e play for Barça and how e play for national team.”
Meanwhile, former Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez don come out to praise Pedri. “I get soft spot for Pedri; to me, e be di best midfielder for di world,” Suarez tok.
Di former Spain international admit say Pedri look tired but say e be because of di high standards wey Pedri don set for imself. “E true say e look tired, and say e don accustom us to such high level wey we consider any errant pass from am as evidence of im poor form. But I believe Pedri bring tings to di pitch wey odda players simply no fit bring,” e explain.
Suarez also address di selection dilemma facing De la Fuente, acknowledge di quality of Fabian Ruiz but say Pedri still suppose be central to Spain plans. “E true say Fabian Ruiz na fantastic player, and e always score for crucial moments. Even so, I tink e go be extremely difficult for Pedri not to feature for di semi-final,” e yarn.
Spain don reach semi-final of World Cup 2026 afta beating Austria, Portugal, and Belgium. Dem go face France next. We go wait see if Pedri go restore to starting XI for dat match.
Pedri, wey be one of di most technically gifted players for di world, get perfect opportunity to silence im critics for di biggest stage. A standout performance for di last four fit prove decisive for La Roja pursuit of di title.
