Luis Enrique, the best coach possible for Spain

Luis Enrique is the best coach that Spain could have at this time of profound transformation in the national team. Despite the indiscriminate attacks he is receiving from a very specific sector of the Madrid press, the Asturian coach has the unwavering protection of the president of the Federation, Luis Rubiales, and (what is more important) the full support of the 26 players called up. Every fan has a coach inside them. That is why there would be as many different squad lists as there are fans. But Luis Enrique has been faithful to his principles and has taken to the World Cup those players who he considers most suitable for his model of play. Hence, the base of the selection is Barça, with seven call-ups: Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati.

Spain has a real chance of having a good World Cup. It has the perfect combination: the experience of veterans with the talent of youngsters. Luis Enrique has encouraged this mix but always with players who accept that the true leader of the project is the coach. The star of this team is Luis Enrique, with his personality and his particular vision of the game. His press conferences are a declaration of principles that generate adherence and anger in equal parts. But the important thing is not the words, but the facts. And the Asturian coach has shown both in the last Euros and in the Nations League that he is capable of getting a more than remarkable performance out of his group of footballers.

Yesterday Spain started on their way to the World Cup with the arrival of the squad to Las Rozas. Today they will travel to Jordan where on Wednesday they will play a final friendly match before debuting in Qatar on November 23 against Costa Rica. Getting through the group stage, where they will also face Germany and Japan, is the first objective that Luis Enrique has set for himself. But not the only one. As he assured in his appearance before the media after announcing the squad list, “my bar is infinite”. The coach blindly trusts Spain's possibilities and is very clear that the key is to be distinct. "We must have the courage to always play our own way,” he says. And as for bravery, of course that too, evidenced by Luis Enrique, who defined himself, half jokingly or half seriously, as "the best coach in the history of world football". Watch out.