Cape Verde draw 'put us on alert', admits Spain's Marc Cucurella

Marc Cucurella faces the media on 18th June
Marc Cucurella faces the media on 18th JuneFlorencia Tan Jun / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP / Profimedia

Spain's shock 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their World Cup ⁠opener was a wake-up call, defender Marc Cucurella said on Thursday, with the team preparing ‌for a similar match against Saudi Arabia this weekend.

"Maybe with this ‌scare we've put ourselves on alert," Cucurella ‌told reporters. "We realised that it's not easy to be ‌here, that we have to be 100% focused ‌in every match... because any team can beat you."

"I think it's good that it happened to us in the ‌first match," he continued. "Because maybe it ⁠happens to you in ‌another round and you go home."

Spain were not the ​only top team to struggle in their opening game at the tournament, with Portugal and Belgium ​also held to draws by lower-ranked opponents.

"It's becoming clear, not just for us, that no match ⁠has been easy," ​Cucurella said. "All the teams that have come here, are here because they qualified, because they're talented."

After being kept off the scoresheet by Cape Verde, Cucurella said ‌Spain were expecting a similar challenge on Sunday when they face Saudi Arabia, who drew 1-1 with Uruguay in their opening game.

"A very good team defensively that will try to take advantage of their counter-attacking options," Cucurella said of Saudi Arabia, who at the 2022 World Cup pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over eventual champions Argentina.

Cucurella said ‌Spain were not expecting to replicate their unbeaten run ​from the 2024 European Championship at the ‌World Cup, but the team are eager to bring their best version to the pitch on Sunday.

"We know what we've missed, we're working on it this week," he said. "And hopefully we can ⁠play a great ⁠match and secure those ‌three points."

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