Former Spain captain Alvaro Morata has opened up about his private conversation with national team manager Luis de la Fuente following his omission from the World Cup squad.
Morata was a central figure in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, starting throughout the tournament and earning widespread praise from his international teammates during and after the competition.
However, the veteran striker has drifted out of contention over the past 18 months, with indifferent spells at AC Milan, Galatasaray, and his current club Como doing little to strengthen his case.
His absence from the World Cup squad caused some national disappointment in Spain, particularly as fellow Euro 2024 key figure Dani Carvajal also missed out on the tournament.
Morata spoke candidly about the situation in an interview with Diario AS, revealing that he had already anticipated the manager’s decision before the call even came.
“Luis called me, and I told him, ‘Mister, obviously I knew. I’m not stupid,'” Morata said, displaying a level of self-awareness that reflects his growth as a person and a professional.
He acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment, admitting that missing out on what could be his final World Cup opportunity was difficult to accept despite his outward composure.
“A couple of years ago, I would have been devastated, but now I understand that this is how it is. That I didn’t deserve to be in the World Cup squad,” he said during the interview.
Morata added that he will still be supporting Spain’s campaign, while expressing a desire to one day earn a return to the national setup by rediscovering his best form at club level.
“I’ll be cheering them on. The national team is a reward for when you’re enjoying yourself and when you excel at your club. I have to start enjoying myself again; hopefully, one day I can return to the national team,” he said.
The 33-year-old also touched on missing out on matching Fernando Torres’ goalscoring record for Spain, describing the national team as the thing he loves most about football despite the tough times he has experienced.
Morata also used the interview to speak glowingly about Jose Mourinho, under whom he made his senior debut at Real Madrid and who has since returned to the Santiago Bernabeu as manager.
“He’s a phenomenon. Nobody can imagine how funny he is in person, up close. Every time I see him, I have a good laugh with him,” Morata said of the Portuguese coach.
He backed Mourinho to thrive in his second spell at the club, pointing to the manager’s consistent record of winning or coming close to trophies at every club he has managed throughout his career.
“At Real Madrid, where they always need to win, I think he’s going to do very well,” Morata concluded, offering a confident endorsement of his former boss.
The post Alvaro Morata Reveals Honest Phone Call With Luis De La Fuente After World Cup Exclusion appeared first on Gooner Daily.
