Before kick-off, the gap between the two teams looked enormous on paper. Spain were ranked second in the FIFA world rankings, while Cape Verde were down in 67th place. But on the pitch, the newcomers matched the European champions with discipline, organisation and determination.
Cape Verde's debut World Cup campaign got off to a remarkable start as they earned a famous 0-0 draw that immediately made Group H, which also has Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, one of the most intriguing groups in the tournament.
For Spain, the result continued a worrying trend at the World Cup. The team ranked second in the world before the tournament have now won just one of their last seven matches at the finals, raising serious doubts about their status as one of the pre-tournament favourites.
De la Fuente admitted his side lacked the sharpness needed to turn dominance into goals.
"This is solved by insisting on the same idea, to continue improving with more finesse," De la Fuente said after the match.
Spain controlled possession for long periods and created several opportunities, but they struggled to break down Cape Verde's compact defence.
"They are a very organised team. We have seen that they got into a low block, and it is very difficult to generate spaces like that," the Spain coach explained.
Despite the frustration of dropping points, De la Fuente insisted his team must stay patient and keep believing in their style of play.
"Even so, we have generated chances. There has been a lack of circulation to generate more, but when the ball doesn't want to go in, it doesn't want to go in," he said.
"There have been shots, chances and the desire to solve the game quickly. We know that this is very difficult, and we know that here it costs a lot to win."
Cape Verde's disciplined display earned them a historic point and a dream start to their first-ever World Cup appearance. Meanwhile, Spain were left searching for answers after another disappointing result on football's biggest stage.
The draw leaves Group H finely balanced heading into the next round of fixtures.
Spain will now turn their attention to a crucial clash against Saudi Arabia on 21 June at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia. Cape Verde will face Uruguay next on 21 June at Miami Stadium in Florida.
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