Ahead of the 2026 World Cup final, Spanish midfielder Olmo gave an interview to Cadena SER. The following is the first part of the interview.
Good evening, Dani Olmo.
Good evening.
This is a great moment, isn't it?
Yes, yes. It's almost here, isn't it?
How many times have you dreamed of taking this step?
Many times, a great many times. I don't think we fully realize what we're about to experience.
Look, you just won the European Championship, but I don't know if you felt you had a great chance of winning it again. Did you really have that premonition that you would become world champions?
Yes, we feel that way. I think the team is ready. The thing is, the World Cup experience is always different. Once you get here, you're somewhat isolated from the outside world because, as I said, we don't yet realize what we're achieving. Ultimately, it's football, and we crave to win. But something is definitely happening in Spain, how people experience it, and what we're doing, and we'll appreciate it all more over time.
Have you been conveyed to this atmosphere? You've felt it in every way.
Yes. As I said before, although we didn't see it, and because we weren't there, we can't fully grasp it, but we know what we're doing, what Spain is going through, is crazy. We feel the support from everyone there, from those who were able to come to the scene, and from our families.
Are the European Championship and the World Cup very different?
Yes. I don't think it's comparable. The World Cup is on another level on every aspect, including the stage, the media attention... Ultimately, you're playing against the best teams in the world.
However, you're back on the final stage, just like in the European Championship, and your opponent is Argentina. What do you think of Argentina as an opponent?
Excellent, very strong. We ultimately met in the final, with these two teams ranked first and second in the FIFA rankings, respectively. Without a doubt, these are the two best national teams in this World Cup so far. Therefore, this will be a true clash of titans.
This was the crucial match they didn't want to play (note: the European Cup was cancelled), right? They made a lot of excuses.
Even so, it's okay. Football always gives you a second chance, or brings you back to where you belong, so we have this opportunity again now.
But throughout the World Cup, we've been discussing the same topics we discussed during the European Championship: this Spanish team emphasizes teamwork and cohesion more than individual ability. This isn't Messi's Argentina, Kane's England, or Mbappe's France; this is Spain that belongs to all of you, to Luis de la Fuente. Do you feel the same way?
Yes, we hope so too. We feel that way too. We got this far because of the team. Every one of us feels important, whether we play more or less. Ultimately, everyone is crucial to getting this far, that's how we see it. Some players may have played less, but they are the ones who truly empower the team in training and in everyday life. So, it's a collective effort.
Your performance at the European Championship was outstanding. Initially, you struggled to secure a starting position because Pedri was more of a regular starter, but you earned your opportunities and held on until the end. In this tournament, you took the reins from the very beginning. Although you didn't play in the first match, you quickly found your form, and since then, no one has questioned Dani Olmo. Do you feel your performance at the World Cup was even better than your performance at the European Championship?
To be honest, I haven't assessed that yet. I do feel very good. I'm really eager to help the team on the pitch. I didn't get that in the first game, but since the game against Saudi Arabia, I've started feeling great, and that's how I am right now. I hope to continue helping the team win.
You like having Lamin (Yamael) around on the field, right? And it's said he likes you around him too, there must be a reason for that.
Yes. It's very easy to reach an understanding with Lamin. We've played side-by-side in Barcelona and the national team for many years, and we understand each other without needing much communication. It's very simple.
Is he obsessed with scoring goals now? Or is he quite calm? What do you think of his form?
He's just like everyone else. He cares more about his team winning than scoring himself. He'll do anything to help his team win.
Do we need to defend Messi tightly? Will you focus all your attention on the 39-year-old Messi, or how do you plan to deal with this Argentine team?
Messi is a player who makes a difference, whether he's 39, 20, or any age. He remains decisive in this World Cup. We know his ability, we know who he is, so he is undoubtedly a player we need to focus on when facing Argentina.
The tactical plans for the match against France and the match against Argentina are very different. Do you think the match against Argentina will be very different?
I think it will be different. Argentina might be a more aggressive, more intense, and more hand-to-hand combat opponent. We will be prepared. This is not something we are unaccustomed to.
Have you discussed the referee? Does the referee, Vencic, cause you any concern?
Absolutely not. He's an excellent referee. I know him; he's from Slovenia. We've seen him many times in competitions like the Champions League. He's a fantastic referee with a great personality. If he's in the World Cup final, it's because he deserves it.
I wanted to ask you about physical fitness. The feeling was… well, I didn't feel like we were going to go home. While it might happen later, I never had that premonition in any game. Even against Portugal, the game where Merino scored. I thought: Okay, maybe we'll have to go to extra time. But I never had that feeling we were going to lose. I wonder if you guys felt that way, do you think the key to the game is reaching the Argentinians' physical intensity? Like England didn't do in the first 30 minutes against them.
That feeling of "we're going home" is something I've personally never experienced before. Admittedly, in some matches, we did consider the possibility of extra time. After all, time was running out, but Mikel (Merino) ultimately saved us twice. But regarding Argentina's physical level, it's not about us trying to match theirs, but about us maintaining our own level. Stay true to our style and continue doing what we've always done. I think we controlled the game very well. Physically, we were in excellent form, at an amazing level. So we don't need to change anything, nor do we need to imitate others; we just need to maintain the high intensity that got us this far.
