The Strength of the Collective
Spain’s confidence, Azpilicueta explains, comes from a long unbeaten run of 37 games – including their Euro 2024 triumph – and a steadfast belief in a clear football identity. Even after an unexpected 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opening match, the team did not panic and stuck to their possession-based, control-oriented approach.
"The strength of this Spain team is in the group, and in their mentality. They are a collective in the way they all play together and they have an identity they believe in, which means they always keep doing the same things," Azpilicueta said.
That same calmness was evident in tight knockout wins over Portugal and Belgium, and again in the semi-final when they took an early lead against heavily-fancied France and refused to sit back. "Spain stayed positive, and did not change their approach to try to hang on to their lead," Azpilicueta noted.
Key Spain World Cup stats:
Unbeaten run: 37 matches
Times behind in this World Cup: 0 in 7 games
Semi-final result: Beat France 1-0 (never relinquished control)
Argentina’s Threat: Messi and Alvarez
Azpilicueta is wary of Argentina, especially with Lionel Messi in "amazing form" and showing his ambition. "We know very well in Spain how he can make the difference at any point in the game," he added, referencing Messi’s positional switch to the right that unlocked England.
He also highlighted Julian Alvarez as a complete forward, having played with him at Atletico Madrid. "Julian can shoot from outside the area too, with his right or left foot and we have seen many amazing goals for him, for club and country," Azpilicueta said. The former defender described him as a striker who is always moving, making him difficult to mark.
Despite the threats, Spain’s faith remains unshaken. "If that happens in the final, and we go behind against Argentina, we won't change. We will keep that same calmness we have seen from the start, until the very end," Azpilicueta concluded.