Morientes: ‘We weren’t overconfident’

Liverpool forward Fernando Morientes says Spain World Cup squads have not been overconfident in the past, but newspapers have built up Spain’s chances unrealistically.

In the past I don’t think the players have gone to big competitions with over confidence, it’s just that the papers have wanted to sell copies and so have really built up our chances. England, Brazil, Germany and Italy can go to the World Cup with a lot of confidence and their heads held high whereas we can’t do that. We have to go with our feet on the ground and be realistic.

Morientes goes on to concede that, realistically, Brazil will win the Cup. I don’t think this is the kind of confidence Luis Aragones was asking for when the players met for a get-together in Madrid this month.