Victor Munoz says competing with Yamal for a place in Spain’s team is “an absolute honour”, insisting he is focused on learning from one of the world’s best players rather than feeling frustrated by limited opportunities.
Munoz, speaking at Spain’s training camp, said he and Yamal were close friends who spent every day together.
“Having such healthy competition and being able to watch him train every day is an absolute honour for me,” he said. “Not just learning from him, but learning from every player on the team really helps me grow and improve every day.”
Munoz was around seven when Spain won the 2010 World Cup, a team he described as “incredibly strong” and full of legends who made history. Asked who would win a hypothetical match between that side and Spain’s 2024 team, he said it would be “an amazing match” and an extremely exciting game to watch.
Spain have since won the Nations League, European Championship and World Cup, and Munoz believes the current squad operates at an exceptional level.
“The speed of passing, the rhythm of play, the movement off the ball, and the understanding between players are all unique,” he said. “I think all of this is reflected in every match we play.”
Head coach Luis de la Fuente has warned that Spain face four matches in 10 days, meaning rotation will be required and no player will appear in all four games. Saturday’s meeting with the Czech Republic is theoretically the easiest, with the Czech Republic currently on zero points, prompting suggestions that it could feature the most changes.
Munoz did not know whether he would start but said representing Spain, either from the beginning or as a substitute, was “an incredible honour”. He added that every player was training well and ready for what would still be a difficult match, regardless of the line-up.
De la Fuente has asked Munoz to play to his strengths: helping in attack and defence, maintaining intensity and verticality, and showing the courage to take opponents on one-on-one.
Munoz also praised the atmosphere within the squad, saying the team remained positive and harmonious even when players were not involved regularly. He said Spain’s high standard did not fall when changes were made, allowing them to create a gap and stand out. Asked about Portugal’s contrasting situation, he said Spain were concentrating only on their own work.
If given a Ballon d’Or vote, Munoz said he would choose a Spanish player because of the national team’s achievements and contributions.
The Liverpool player, who came through Real Madrid’s youth academy, also compared LaLiga with the Premier League. He described LaLiga as more tactically demanding, while the Premier League was more physically intense, particularly in its daily training and conditioning. Those demands, he said, had contributed significantly to his development.
