Laporte: We must be extra careful against France, but the result depends more on us.

On the eve of the World Cup semi-final between Spain and France, Laporte gave an interview to Radio Marca. This article is the first part of the interview.

I must say, you have a very happy family, and I can see that you are a father who loves your children very much.

Thank you so much.

How important is spending time with family to you during the World Cup? For example, the last match was incredibly exciting and intense, with the game against Belgium going down in the 90th minute. After the match, you could take off your Spanish jersey, change into your swim trunks, go swimming with your daughter, or quietly enjoy a beer with friends. What does this mean to you?

I can't really explain it. Everything is going well right now, so I'm very happy. I'll try to spend as much time as possible with my family; they give me so much energy. And they didn't come here at the beginning of the World Cup, they came later. So as long as I can be with them, I feel happy and content.

Will people keep making fun of you about this? After all, you were born in France, but now you're representing Spain, and you have a deep affection for the country. You're wearing the Spanish jersey, but you're facing players like Mbappe and Due. Throughout the World Cup, we've been talking about the French "Four Musketeers."

Yes, they are all very important players with outstanding abilities. We must be well-prepared and in the right condition for this game.

What are your thoughts on the French team? How much do you know about them? What kind of French team do you expect to face? What kind of French team have you seen in this World Cup?

Just as you've seen. I think their attacking line is very strong, with outstanding and very well-rounded players, and we have to be extra careful. However, we still need to play our own game. I think the final result depends more on us than on them.

We will strive to control the pace of the game, just as we have before. Based on that, we will give our all on the field, aiming to satisfy both the fans and ourselves, and deliver our best performance.

You've been discussing these topics a lot lately, and the head coach has been emphasizing them, right? Compared to the tactical aspects, it seems like everyone is talking more about emotional aspects now, such as values, teamwork, respect, strict requirements, meritocracy, and happiness. Why do you value these things so much?

Because that's exactly what we're feeling within the team. When you have something, and it's actually working, you naturally tend to emphasize it. That's exactly what we're feeling right now. Everyone is happy and satisfied, and the atmosphere within the team is fantastic.

Some players get to play, some don't; some get more playing time, some less. But everyone understands that everything is for the overall benefit. I think this is very important in a team like the national team.

The team seems to have formed a diamond-shaped structure, with Unai Simon, Kubasi, Laporte, and Rodri becoming the team's central axis and pillars, right?

I can't comment on that; it should be left to you or the media to decide.

This is my opinion, this is what I said.

We are certainly happy. Indeed, we've had more playing time than other players. We will work hard to do our job well and do our best. Hopefully, this will continue for at least two more games.

I'd also like to talk about it from your personal perspective. This season hasn't been easy for you, and Athletic Bilbao as a whole has gone through a difficult period. In the later stages of Valverde's tenure, the team's performance wasn't ideal. At the same time, there was a lot of discussion and controversy surrounding the selection of central defenders for the Spanish national team—who should be selected, who shouldn't, who should be called up, and who shouldn't be called up. Overall, the players on the national team shortlist haven't performed particularly well this season. I also understand that when you learned you were selected, you were very happy, it felt like a relief to you. Now it seems you've silenced all the doubters with your performance. Spain has only conceded one goal so far, and your performance, even if not the best of your career, is very close to your peak. From a personal perspective, this must be very satisfying for you, right?

Yes, as I said before, I'm happy. This season wasn't my best. However, the club uses a different style of play, which I'm not used to. With the national team, our style of play makes me feel more comfortable and allows me to better utilize my strengths.

This isn't the first time this has happened. Before every major competition, there are always questions from the outside world. I believe there are also factors beyond the competition involved. Some people have their own interests, and these interests may sometimes be detrimental to me, which is understandable.

However, the most important thing is our performance on the court. The next step is to see if we can hold on until July 19th and ultimately win the championship. If we can, it will be a truly magical thing for everyone.

You just mentioned "interests," why did you say that? Do you feel that because you're not a Real Madrid or Barcelona player, or because you were born in France, people will perceive you differently? Do you feel excluded to some extent?

No, it's not just about me personally. Of course, that includes me, but I believe there are indeed other interests at play in the world of football. This isn't something I've imagined; I've learned about it from reliable sources, so I know that such situations do exist.

I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to specifically; perhaps we'll figure it out later. At least in my opinion, you're one of the team's leaders and captains. De la Fuente has complete faith in you. Of course, all players experience fluctuations in form; sometimes they make the right decisions, sometimes they make mistakes; sometimes they score goals, sometimes they concede due to errors. That's football, and it's part of life. But I hope you feel loved by everyone, that you're fully integrated into the team, and that you're an important member of this Spanish team that's aiming for its second World Cup title.

Another host: I'd like to continue this topic. Luis Enrique's decision to choose Laporte and switch national teams caused a lot of controversy back then. Five years have passed now. Do you feel you've broken down some prejudices? If a player made a similar choice now, the public's attitude towards him might not be the same as it was towards you back then. Do you think you've broken down that barrier?

Laporte: Yes, it's becoming more and more common now. After me, many more players made similar choices. That period was indeed very difficult for me. But now we can see that it's become more prevalent.

As I mentioned a few days ago, many players before me had experienced similar situations, but none of them caused such a huge controversy. When I played for the French national teams at various levels, I played alongside 22 to 23 players who later made similar choices. It's just that these things weren't publicly discussed or received this much attention at the time, so people didn't realize it. In fact, this has happened many times before, but it didn't generate such a strong reaction then.

Did you feel targeted at the time? Do you think it was related to the outside world's attitude towards Luis Enrique? Why did that happen?

I don't know, I really don't know, I have absolutely no clue. I just made a decision, and now I'm very happy with that decision, so there's not much more to say.