Del Bosque counting on team morale

Boosting team morale is the key behind Spain’s chances of back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.

Defending champions Spain are amongst the favourites to win the World Cup, though they must navigate their way through a tricky group after being drawn alongside the Netherlands, Chile and Australia.

While Del Bosque is able to call upon the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, David Silva, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Diego Costa, the 63-year-old told Spanish newspaper El Pais that team happiness outweighs time spent out on the training pitch.

“A happy team is worth more than 100 hours of tactics,” Del Bosque said.

“It’s good for any business that the employees are content. In football, if the kids are happy, we’ve won.”

Del Bosque added: “It’s best to humanise the group, reminding them that they are modest people and where they come from.”

Team harmony has not been a strongpoint of Spanish football, with the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid causing a great divide within the dressing room over the years.

Del Bosque admits that while Spain are world and European champions, the Barca and Real rivalry still causes some tension.

“They are nice people,” he said.

“But the Barca players sit together as do Madrid’s. That happened in my time, it’s not a symptom of anything.

“A quarrel (in public) is a hindrance. I can’t get upset because I have to make quick decisions and have to be moderate in my gestures.

“On the bench and in the field we have to avoid arrogance.”

Spain kick-off their World Cup campaign against Group B rivals the Netherlands on June 13 – a repeat of the 2010 final in South Africa.