Spain coach Luis Enrique praised the character of his players as the three-time European champions recovered from a nightmare and then took a two-goal lead after beating Croatia 5-3 in overtime to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2021. In the whole tournament, this match is considered the most interesting and entertaining match.
The Spaniards took a 3-1 lead in the 77th minute with a goal by Ferran Torres. Croatia made an impressive comeback with goals in the 85th minute and extra time, but Spain scored two goals in extra time. Read Spain vs Croatia football match update in detail.
“Today it was a very intense game, really had everything. Everyone saw our true team spirit today,” Luis Enrique told a news conference. “When the word ego disappears and the word team appears, it’s certainly wonderful to be part of such a group.”
Luis Enrique said, “They didn’t really create a chance, although we got a goal. So when it happened, it felt very unfair and of course it could be a bit of a shock for a few minutes.”
The coach added, “I am glad that we have a second chance. It doesn’t usually happen. It got really crazy after the 80th minute, when we could score the fourth goal and we could put him to bed. These last 10 minutes are something we need to learn from. We don’t have that much international experience on the team and maybe mistakes like this are inevitable.”
Luis Enrique was thrilled by the fans’ appreciation for the exciting game in Copenhagen. He said, “I actually got the last five minutes of extra time as the fans stood up and applauded and paid tribute to the effort and commitment of all the players who competed. It was a wonderful gesture from the fans, it was about recognizing the show that both the teams have put on today. Tonight’s title is: Enjoy Football.”
