Cubarsí hails Spain’s defense after World Cup final run

Pau Cubarsí said Spain had answered the criticism on the field after a 2-0 semifinal win over France in Arlington, Texas, sent La Roja to its first World Cup final since 2010. The 19-year-old defender pointed to the team’s record at the back as the clearest rebuttal, with Spain having conceded only once in the tournament before the semifinal against France.

“Hemos callado muchas bocas,” Cubarsí said after Tuesday’s match at Dallas Stadium. The Barcelona center back framed the victory as the product of a group that had been questioned over its defense and goalkeeping, then responded with a run built on control, compact lines and clean sheets. Spain had already beaten Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Austria, Portugal and Belgium on the way to the semifinal before taking care of Didier Deschamps’ France.

The performance against France preserved one of the tournament’s defining numbers: Spain had allowed just one goal before the semifinal, and only Belgium had managed to breach its defense. That record has turned a source of debate into a badge of identity for Luis de la Fuente’s squad, which has reached the final by winning tight games instead of chasing open contests. Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scored in the semifinal to seal the result.

Cubarsí’s comments also carried a personal edge. He said he felt the backing of his family, his grandfather and people across Spain, including in Extremadura, where part of his family roots lie. Born on January 22, 2007, in Estanyol, Girona, Cubarsí has become one of the tournament’s standout young center backs at 19.

FIFA highlighted that he arrived at the World Cup after becoming the second-youngest player ever to reach 100 appearances for Barcelona. FIFA also noted that he had played 11 matches for Spain and started three of the last four qualifiers, a profile that fits the trust De la Fuente has placed in him. For a team that entered the tournament under scrutiny, Spain’s run to the final has now been defined as much by the absence of goals against as by the ones that have carried it through.