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Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville stands by his analysis that Spain will struggle to score freely in the FIFA World Cup. The pundit made the observation before La Roja's opening game of the competition against Costa Rica on November 23.
However, as it turned out, Spain sent seven goals past their central American opponents, registering the biggest win of the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far.
Neville became the butt of jokes soon after. But he found a friend in Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, who echoed the former defender's sentiments on Twitter.
“It’s ok, Gary. I was thinking exactly the same before the game. What do we know!! Football, eh!!” Balague wrote.
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In reply, Neville tweeted:
“I think we will be proved right!”
What Gary Neville said about Spain ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener
Going by the trend in the last couple of multi-national events, Gary Neville had opined that Spain would struggle in front of goal in the FIFA World Cup as well.
He analyzed that while Luis Enrique's men will continue to dominate possession, they may not be ruthless.
“It’s okay but there’s no goals in it,” the former England international said on ITV before the Spain-Costa Rica game (talkSPORT).
“I think that’s been one of Spain’s problems. In the last European Championships they dominated possession and had the highest in the competition on 76 per cent, it’s what we expect.
“The legacy of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona still runs through this team. But you wonder, is that ruthlessness is going to come through?”
Asked about his observations following Spain's 7-0 victory on the FIFA World Cup coverage on ITV, he replied:
“We can’t just measure Spain at all off that. I know they play Germany on Sunday so I look forward to seeing them in that game.
“Costa Rica are the first team in 32 years at a World Cup not to have a shot on goal. Forget the target, they have not had a shot on goal in the whole game.”
Spain will face Germany on Sunday, November 27, in their second game of the ongoing World Cup before playing Japan in their last group-stage game.
