Izan followed behind his teammates, jogging toward the crowd, offering his own applause in return.
He had not played.
But tonight, Spain had made their statent.
And the rest of the tournant had taken notice.
[France Camp – Bad Lippspringe, Germany]
The French squad had been watching from their sleek training facility, gathered in the lounge with their recovery gear still strapped on.
A few were on foam rollers, others sipping protein shakes, but all eyes had been locked on the screen as Spain calmly dismantled Croatia.
The final whistle barely blew when Theo Hernández exhaled and shook his head. "Pff… pas mal, hein?"
Aurélien Tchouaméni stretched out his legs, cracking his neck. "No, not bad at all."
Marcus Thuram, lounging with his feet up, let out a low whistle. "They made Croatia look ordinary. That’s not easy."
Kylian Mbappé was quiet. He sat near the back, hoodie up, watching the screen even after the broadcast had switched to post-match analysis.
Antoine Griezmann caught his expression and smirked. "You thinking what I’m thinking?"
Mbappé finally glanced at him, a flicker of amusent in his eyes. "That they’re a problem?"
Griezmann laughed. "Oh, we knew that already." He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. "But we’ll deal with them if it cos to it. Like always."
Tchouaméni crossed his arms. "Their midfield is sharp. Rodri, Fabián… even Pedri. They’re not just passing for possession. They’re slicing through."
Jules Koundé, scrolling through his phone, raised an eyebrow. "And they didn’t even need Izan tonight.
That kid was awfully terrifying when we t them. I didn’t even want to approach him since I knew it was going to be futile"
Kounde’s words got a few nods.
Eduardo Camavinga, who had been mostly silent, finally spoke. "That’s what makes them dangerous. They don’t rely on one player. They have weapons everywhere."
Mbappé stretched out his legs. "Yeah, but so do we." His tone wasn’t cocky—just matter-of-fact. "Let’s see how they look when it’s not all going their way."
Griezmann grinned. "Exactent."
No panic. No overreaction. Just recognition. And quiet confidence.
[Germany Camp – Herzogenaurach, Germany]
The mood in the German camp was different. Not tense, but serious. The Spanish performance had been… instructive.
Ilkay Gündogan sat beside Toni Kroos, both watching the highlights replayed on the big screen in the players’ lounge. Kroos, ever composed, leaned back in his chair, sipping water.
"They looked sharp."
Gündogan nodded. "Controlled the entire ga."
Jamal Musiala, standing nearby, ran a hand through his hair. "They played with so much rhythm. Never rushed, never panicked."
Kai Havertz, arms crossed, exhaled. "It’s not just their attack. Their pressing was perfect. Croatia never got comfortable."
Kroos set his bottle down. "Spain always start strong in tournants. That’s not new. What matters is if they can maintain it."
Antonio Rüdiger, who had been leaning against the wall, finally spoke. "You know what I see? A team playing free. No pressure. No stress. That makes them dangerous."
Musiala nodded. "But they haven’t been tested yet."
Gündogan glanced at Kroos. They both knew better than to dismiss Spain too quickly.
Kroos stood up, stretching. "We’ll find out soon enough."
There was no fear in the German camp. Just focus. And a shared understanding:
If they wanted to win this tournant, they’d have to be even better.
...
Spain’s 3-0 demolition of Croatia had set the tone for their Euro 2024 campaign, and the country woke up to a wave of euphoria.
The newspapers, the morning radio shows, the television debates—every platform was dominated by La Roja’s emphatic performance.
The major sports dailies captured the mood perfectly:
MARCA: "Exhibición de España: Un Debut de Ensueño" (Spain’s Exhibition: A Dream Debut)
AS: "La Roja Avisa a Europa" (La Roja Warns Europe)
Mundo Deportivo: "Toque, Magia y Poder: España, Favorita" (Touch, Magic, and Power: Spain, A Favorite)
Sport: "España Deslumbra en Berlín" (Spain Dazzles in Berlin)
The analysis was unanimous: Spain had played one of the most dominant football of the tournant so far.
The movent, the pressing, the technical superiority—it had all been breathtaking.
Rodri had controlled the midfield with effortless authority. Pedri and Fabián Ruiz had combined like artists in full flow.
Lamine Yamal, at just 16 years old, had tornted Croatia’s defense, proving that his age was irrelevant when placed against his sheer ability.
And Dani Carvajal’s goal? The cherry on top.
Yet, despite the endless praise, one question hung over the discussions:
What about the other 16-year-old?
Why didn’t Izan play?
It wasn’t just a minor footnote—it was the biggest talking point on every post-match show.
On El Chiringuito, Josep Pedrerol wasted no ti in stirring the conversation.
"Luis de la Fuente had the chance to unleash Spain’s biggest young star—and he didn’t! What does this an?
Is there a ssage here? Is he holding Izan back?" His words set the stage for a fiery back-and-forth among the panelists.
So argued that Izan’s absence was simply part of squad managent, while others questioned whether the coach was being overly cautious.
On Cadena SER, the approach was calr.
"It’s not about distrust," said comntator Antonio Roro. "De la Fuente simply didn’t need to use him. When your team is up 3-0, you don’t make changes just for the sake of it."
Still, among fans, frustration simred. Social dia was filled with reactions:
@JuanmaRCF: "How are we up 3-0 and not even giving Izan 10-15 minutes? This is our best player!"
@Alvaro_89: "Relax. This was about managing the tournant. He’ll play when we need him."
@Lucia_Spain: "Yamal was brilliant, but imagine Izan and Yamal together… De la Fuente is too conservative."
Even El País, known for its asured takes, published an article by Diego Torres questioning the decision:
"Spain showed they can dominate without relying on Izan. That’s a great sign. But sooner or later, they will need their difference-maker. When that mont cos, will he be ready?"
It was clear—Spain was thrilled by their team’s performance, but the absence of their golden boy had left many wanting more.
In the host country, the reaction to Spain’s performance was just as intense, though the focus was different.
Rather than questioning Izan’s absence, the German dia emphasized just how terrifying Spain looked.
Kicker: "Spanien Schockt Europa" (Spain Shocks Europe)
Bild: "Perfektion in Berlin: Sind Sie Unschlagbar?" (Perfection in Berlin: Are They Unbeatable?)
Frankfurter Allgeine Zeitung: "Spanien setzt den Maßstab" (Spain Sets the Standard)
On Sky Germany, forr national team player Lothar Matthäus gave his verdict:
"Spain played at a different speed. Their pressing, their passing… everything was fluid. If they continue like this, they are title contenders."
anwhile, on ZDF, the post-match panel agreed:
"This wasn’t just a win. This was a statent. Spain didn’t need a late goal, a mont of luck, or individual brilliance. They dominated from start to finish. That’s the sign of a real tournant team."
For Germany, watching from afar, the ssage was clear: Spain weren’t just contenders. They were a real threat.
By midday, Spanish sports talk shows had moved on from simply praising Spain to breaking down why Luis de la Fuente had left Izan on the bench.
On Movistar Fútbol, forr Spain midfielder Marcos Senna gave a tactical breakdown:
"Bringing Izan on at 3-0 would’ve been unnecessary. The team was already in control. What does de la Fuente gain by risking fatigue or injury for a ga that’s already won?"
Santi Cañizares, speaking on COPE, put it even more bluntly:
"Would Izan have loved to play? Of course. But this is a month-long tournant, not a one-off match. De la Fuente is managing this squad with the long ga in mind."
anwhile, on LaLiga TV, Guillem Balagué expanded on the strategic side of the decision:
"This wasn’t about Izan. This was about balance. You don’t use all your weapons in the first battle. Spain were dominant without him. That’s a luxury."
Even tactical analysts on The Athletic weighed in, with Michael Cox writing:
"De la Fuente likely sees Izan as a weapon for the tighter matches—the ones where Spain need a mont of magic. Yesterday, there was no need for magic. Just control."
Over on ESPN FC, Alejandro Moreno laughed at the outrage, dismissing it outright:
"This is hilarious. People are acting like Izan was dropped. He wasn’t. He just wasn’t needed. Spain were up 3-0! He’ll play when they need him. Simple."
By the afternoon, the mood among fans had settled. What had started as frustration had slowly given way to understanding.
Yes, they all wanted to see Izan on the pitch. But Spain had shown that they weren’t dependent on him.
And in a long tournant, that was a good thing.
With Spain’s next match approaching, the discussion naturally shifted:
Would Izan start against Italy?
Most analysts believed de la Fuente would keep his lineup unchanged. After all, why fix what wasn’t broken?
But others argued that Italy would demand sothing different. A tougher midfield battle, a ga that might require Izan’s creativity to break through.
Luis de la Fuente had kept one of his biggest weapons in reserve.
The only question now was when he would decide to use it.
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