Analysis: While Spain are polishing their weapons, Luis de la Fuente’s defence is shining

“It’s very hard to play against Spain, they didn’t make a single mistake,” said Austria manager Ralf Rangnick after the match. “They’re very good, like clockwork, it’s impossible to compete against them tactically.” All of this without mentioning Marc Cucurella, who has stood out more for his marauding forward rather than his defensive work. For context, Zenga set that record behind a 1990 Italy defence including Alessandro Costacurta, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini, one that played far less aggressively too.

Reasonably, the reader cries back that Spain are yet to face a side that would strike fear into the backline of any of the World Cup contenders. Next on the menu are Portugal. Should Cubarsi and company dab the side of their mouth after devouring another attack, there will be little denying that Spain’s array of technical players are being escorted by the finest defence in the competition.