BERLIN (Reuters) – Spain midfielder Dani Olmo said on Friday that the team enjoyed the challenging path they faced to reach the Euro 2024 final, winning a tough group and taking down Germany and France, and are pumped up for their clash against England on Sunday.
Olmo came on as a substitute to grab a goal and an assist to help Spain beat the hosts in the quarter-finals and scored the winner against France after they had initially gone behind.
The 26-year-old said that doing things the hard way was the perfect motivation for a competitive group of players.
“We’ve had to go through the hard road and should be proud of how we got here. The style of game we are playing is what got us here,” Olmo told a press conference.
“We are feeling really good and charged-up, well prepared, physically and mentally at our best. We know we have a unique opportunity on Sunday. We are super-motivated for the game to come.
“All we are thinking now is about the final. Ninety minutes away from glory, from being able to win a European Championship twelve years later (after last triumph in Euro 2012). Our motivation is at its peak… Can’t wait!”
Olmo acknowledged that England’s path was also tough and that their opponents have shown a fighting spirit throughout the tournament that deserved respect.
However, he didn’t think that Spain needed to alter their attacking style for Sunday’s clash.
“If it’s working, why change? We are playing with a unique and personalised idea, it’s what we are as a team. We can always do new things and improve, as the coach says, but the idea will be the same,” Olmo said.
“England are a team that has shown that they never give up… But we have suffered too. Against Germany, winning in extra time… against France it wasn’t easy…
“It’s true that we played well. But we’ve just lost a European Championship semi-final four years ago. We have that bad experience and learned how to improve. We are not concerned about the road they have travelled. We focus on our own.
“For me, the two best teams are the ones that go through to the final. We will try to focus on ourselves and do our best.”
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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