Luis Enrique believes it is "not the right time" to discuss his future after Spain slumped to a shock World Cup exit against Morocco, saying he could yet stay on as La Roja's head coach.

Spain arrived in Qatar as one of the tournament favourites, but La Roja suffered a second consecutive last-16 elimination via a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw at Education City Stadium.

Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets all failed to convert as Morocco ran out 3-0 winners in the shoot-out, with the latter duo seeing their efforts saved by Yassine Bounou.

Spain have now lost four of their five penalty shoot-outs at the World Cup, more than any other side in the history of the tournament, with their latest loss throwing the future of Luis Enrique – whose contract is set to expire after the competition – into doubt.

However, the former Barcelona boss says he will take time to consider his future, adding he is happy with the support he has received from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Asked whether he would stay on after the game, he responded: "I cannot tell you, I don't know this decision. This is not the right time to discuss my future, it's not relevant. 

"My contract is going to end, but I am very happy with the national team, with the federation, and I have always had great support from [Jose Francisco] Molina, who is the sporting director. 

"I could always carry on. I need to have peace of mind to decide what's best for me and the team."

Luis Enrique initially led Spain from July 2018 to June 2019 before stepping aside for "family reasons" that were later confirmed to relate to his young daughter suffering with cancer. She died in August 2019.

He returned to the role that November, leading Spain to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and to the 2020-21 Nations League final, where they were beaten by France.

Spain's failure to score a single penalty in Tuesday's shoot-out made them just the second team to do so in World Cup history, after Switzerland against Ukraine in 2006.

Spain coach Luis Enrique is refusing to look at the negatives from his side's loss to Japan, instead pointing to how well La Roja played across their World Cup group stage games.

Japan beat Spain 2-1 on Thursday to secure top spot in Group E, setting up a last-16 tie with Croatia while also condemning Germany to an early exit.

Spain had 82.3 per cent of the possession and attempted 1,058 passes to Japan's 228, and had 12 shots, with five hitting the target.

However, Spain's efforts only accumulated to 1.04 expected goals (xG), whereas Japan's six attempts added up to a combined xG of 1.45, with Ritsu Doan and Junya Ito scoring in the space of three second-half minutes.

If reports in the Spanish media are to be believed, former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique might be replaced as Spain boss after the World Cup, but ahead of Tuesday's last-16 tie with Morocco, he has full conviction in his approach.

"We are talking about 270 minutes if I'm not wrong, plus added time [in the group stage]," Luis Enrique said in a press conference when he was asked if his team failed to recover from setbacks during matches. 

"Out of 300 minutes in total, you focus on 10 minutes that you didn't like. As far as we progress, you will see more of these minutes.

"We are footballers and the opponents also play. There are things to be improved, and I'm sure we will be bitten by Morocco in some moments of the game.

"We can't take blows? What about them? Did Germany take it well when we scored? We are in a competition where the score dictates the risk you are willing to take.

"Other teams pull back but we keep attacking and of course we need to improve that."

Asked if his team lacked the experience required to see out spells of pressure, Luis Enrique replied: "It's such a cliche, we have to try and get rid of this idea.

"I don't believe they lacked experience. Experience in what? Being builders, carpenters? When you lose, people talk about issues and if you win, they don't.

"I don't share this analysis. This team will be recognised by the way we play, analyse our matches, our philosophy but not these sorts of issues.

"Mistakes happen, we are talking about a very complex, unfair sport, 11 players on a huge field, it's impossible to control all the aspects.

"At the end of the day the ones making the decisions are the players, I want them to implement my idea and I want them to buy the whole package when they lose, it's not fair to only buy it when we win."

Spain have only made it beyond the round of 16 once at the last four World Cups, when they went on to win the trophy in South Africa in 2010. This record, though, is of no concern to Luis Enrique.

"This is not our usual trend, to look at everything from a negative perspective," he said.

"I am not concerned about those results. I want to control the things I can control as a coach. I want my team to play in a certain way, I want my players to forget about the result.

"Football is not fair but if you have more merit you usually win the game. I am convinced we will have more merit than Morocco. Our objective was to play seven games, so we want to play seven games."

Luis Enrique reckons he would have "had a heart-attack" if he knew Spain were briefly heading out of the World Cup during Thursday's dramatic conclusion to Group E.

Spain were beaten 2-1 by Samurai Blue at the Khalifa International Stadium, with Japan coming from behind in the second half after Alvaro Morata's early opener.

La Roja went into the game top of the table but needed a point to absolutely make sure of progression.

They did not even manage that, but Germany's 4-2 win over Costa Rica elsewhere ensured Luis Enrique's men lived to fight another day at the expense of Die Nationalelf, finishing second behind Japan.

There were a few minutes, however, where Spain dropped out of the top two completely as Costa Rica led Germany.

Luis Enrique claimed he was unaware, and he was seemingly grateful for his ignorance.

"We were knocked out for three minutes? Why do you say this? I was not paying attention," Luis Enrique said with a look of bemusement. "When did that happen?

"Okay, fantastic. I didn't know this. Why? Because I was paying attention to my match. If I'd have found out, I'd have had a heart-attack."

Of course, the defeat ultimately cost Spain little because many will argue their immediate path in the knockout stages is now kinder than it would have been if they won the group.

Topping Group E would have put them on track to face Croatia next and potentially Brazil in the quarter-finals.

Finishing as runners-up means they are now likely to come up against Portugal in the last eight, assuming La Roja get beyond Morocco.

Talk of result manipulation to avoid Brazil dominated the news agenda before this game, but given how close Spain came to packing their bags, Luis Enrique was in no mood to celebrate progression.

"In football there are no good or bad sides," he added. "In football you deserve or not and today I'm not happy at all.

"Yes, we qualified, I'd have liked to be top by winning this game, but this was not possible because in five minutes they got two goals, and in 10 minutes we were completely out.

"We were dismantled. We tried to close the game, but it wasn't possible. But we didn't have any danger in the first half, then in the second… I told them in half-time [Japan] will push us, they had nothing to lose.

"We didn't have good game management, we collapsed. I'm not happy, I never celebrate defeats.

"I have nothing to celebrate. Of course, the bracket changes and many things are different, but I have nothing to celebrate."

Japan's winning goal by Ao Tanaka was somewhat controversial in nature, as replays showed the ball was agonisingly close to going out of play before Kaoru Mitoma's cut-back to the match-winner.

Luis Enrique was shown an image of the situation and was left concluding it to be fake.

"I saw the images, they must be wrong or fabricated," he said. "I saw an image and said that can't be true.

"I have nothing else to say. I have full respect. I knew something going on as VAR took so long."

Goals from Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka helped Japan reach the World Cup last 16 as Group E winners with a remarkable 2-1 victory over Spain, with La Roja joining them as Germany were dumped out.

With both sides knowing a win would see them advance, Spain wasted little time in hitting the front as Alvaro Morata headed beyond Shuichi Gonda for his third goal of the tournament early on.

However, Spain failed to capitalise on their huge dominance of possession as Japan turned the game on its head with a quickfire second-half double, Doan firing home from range before Tanaka bundled in a second.

Spain were briefly on their way out of the World Cup when Costa Rica took the lead against Germany in the group's other fixture.

But Germany's late comeback in a 4-2 win ensured La Roja survived an incredible finale to go through as runners-up.

Luis Enrique insists Spain will not take any chances by trying to engineer a specific result against Japan in an attempt to avoid Brazil in the World Cup quarter-finals.

La Roja face Samurai Blue on Thursday knowing a victory will secure top spot in Group E and set up a last-16 clash with the runners-up from Group F.

But that would also put them on track to play the Selecao in the last eight.

Trying to avoid Brazil has been a topic of much debate during Spain's media duties in the past few days, and Luis Enrique even confessed to discussing the situation with his team.

But trying to manipulate a result that would see Spain finish second is far too risky for Luis Enrique's liking.

"Great question, we've wondered about this and reflected on it. From a professional point of view, we are only thinking of winning because the four teams can qualify," he said.

"We want to be first, we cannot and should not speculate. It's very human to talk about it, we have done it, but it's useless to choose.

"Imagine, we reach minute 95, we are drawing 0-0, we are winners of the group. But then just before full-time, Costa Rica and Japan score. You've speculated the entire game and then in the last 15 seconds you concede. That's it, you're out.

"If you're convinced your team is a good one [you try to win]. We're here to win seven games.

"Your theory is Brazil [in the quarter-finals]. Let's play Brazil. We can't start with these estimations.

"We try to put up a fight – it doesn't matter who we're playing in the round of 16 or quarter-finals.

"If we play Brazil in the quarters, well so be it… We must beat Japan – elite sport and speculation don't compute, or we don't understand it that way. Being first would mean that we have been better.

"To win a World Cup you have to win against everyone who comes your way. That's our goal."

In fact, Luis Enrique went on to suggest he would welcome facing Brazil in the quarter-finals, even if it meant a trickier route to the final for La Roja.

"I hope to play against Brazil. It will mean that we have both reached the quarter-finals," he continued.

"Brazil is always a clear favourite [for the World Cup], regardless of the year. They have so much talent and quality, both individually and collectively.

"As for everyone else [the favourites], there aren't big surprises. I always stick to the FIFA rankings, you can see which are the favourites. You look at the top 10, some aren't here but generally those are the favourites. Brazil, France won [their groups] easily, so there's no surprises."

Spain have generally impressed across their first two games with their vibrant and attack-minded style of play, with many considering them early favourites despite possessing one of the youngest squads.

But one of their young talents who is yet to make an appearance is Ansu Fati, who some felt was fortunate to even be named in the squad after only playing bit-part role for Barcelona this season on his return from injury.

Luis Enrique acknowledged Fati was the most uncertain selection in the group, but he stressed he was thrilled with the training level of all of his forwards.

"He was the last player to enter the list. He wasn't even in the squad in the previous two international breaks. It might be the position where I had the most doubts, regarding bringing Ansu or another player.

"I have to base my decisions on training. We have eight forwards training so well, I am delighted with them, they are flying. It's a shame they've not all had minutes, they all deserve to play and it hurts me, but there's no space for everyone – some will not play.

"There's five substitutes allowed, and some players will end the competition without playing a minute. I'm sorry about that, so sorry, but they have to keep training at a top level and I make decisions based on what I see. I am sorry, but also happy with what I see from those eight players."

Luis Enrique looked at the big picture after Spain were held to a draw with Germany, content with the fact La Roja head into their final World Cup Group E match as leaders.

Alvaro Morata's second-half goal had seemingly put Spain on course for a second win in as many group games, and victory would have secured their place in the last 16.

But Niclas Fullkrug equalised late on to earn Germany a point that will provide Die Nationalelf with a timely confidence boost, even if their destiny is essentially in Spain's hands.

While Spain enjoyed more of the ball on Sunday, Germany's chances amounted to a greater expected goals (xG) total of 1.1 compared to 0.57, suggesting Hansi Flick's side created the better opportunities.

Nevertheless, the reality is Spain remain in control of the group with four points, and although they might have been in even better shape after facing Germany, Luis Enrique has no qualms with their position.

"In theory this was the group of death," he told La 1. "If after the draw we'd been told that after the first two matches we'd be the leaders of the group and we depend only on ourselves, I would have signed for that."

Adding in his post-match press conference, he said: "A draw against Japan is enough, but we're not going to speculate.

"Yes, it's a pity, the result, but we have to be happy because we are leaders in this group of death.

"When the draw came out everyone was mesmerised by the quality, it was the group that drew gasps.

"This is such a short competition that wanting to speculate on a game makes no sense. We will look for the best option in terms of the starting 11.

"An all-or-nothing competition begins now. This is our reality now and our goal is to go through as first in the group.

"Germany has to think about beating Costa Rica, which is a great team. You can be sure that we are going play Japan to win."

Frustration was seemingly the overwhelming emotion among the players.

But Luis Enrique felt Germany were deserving of a point, even though he also reckoned Spain wasted the opportunity to finish them off before Fullkrug struck his equaliser.

"Yes, that's the feeling I got from players, they're a bit disappointed," he continued. "[But] we could have been defeated, too… [the draw] is fair I'd say.

"We could have won, we could have got a decisive goal. Maybe that play with [Marco] Asensio at 1-0, he took the shot, it would have been decisive but it went over.

"Germany is a football force. We can't rule them out for the winning the World Cup, but we put up a fight."

Spain face Japan on Thursday knowing victory will confirm top spot, while Germany go up against Costa Rica at the same time as they hope to climb from bottom into a qualification berth.

Hansi Flick unequivocally dismissed the suggestion Germany lost their World Cup opener against Japan because they were distracted by the controversy surrounding the OneLove campaign.

Germany were one of several European teams planning to have their captains wear the OneLove armband to highlight discrimination and human rights abuses by World Cup host nation Qatar, where homosexuality is criminalised.

In response, FIFA threatened to apply "sporting sanctions" to the teams involved, who all subsequently backtracked on their commitment to wear the armbands.

Germany felt FIFA was attempting to "silence" them, and they responded by holding their hands over their mouths while lining up for a team photo before the match against Japan.

After they ended up losing to the Samurai Blue, some Germany critics tried to link their defeat to the idea they were distracted by their moral stance.

When Flick was asked if that was the case ahead of Sunday's pivotal clash with Spain, his response was blunt.

"No," he said followed by a long pause. "Not at all."

Flick was surprisingly attending Saturday's pre-match press conference alone.

Teams are contracted to attend the events with at least their head coach and one player, and they can be fined if they fail to adhere to those rules.

However, Germany are based in the very north of the country near Al Ruwais, meaning any player attending a press conference will be away from training for approximately three hours.

Given the crucial nature of Sunday's encounter, Flick was simply unwilling to compromise the team's preparations by allowing a player to attend, even if it means the German Football Association (DFB) potentially copping a fine.

"I came by myself to the press conference because we didn't want any player to spend almost three hours driving. We don't expect any player to drive for so long. It's a long drive," he said.

"It's a very important match, so everyone, all 26 players are important [for training], that's why we didn't want to take a player with us. They should now prepare for the training.

"I think we could have done [the press conference] in our media centre as well, that is really good, it would have been better. But we have to accept this."

Earlier on Saturday, Spain coach Luis Enrique said Germany were the team most similar to La Roja at the World Cup in terms of their style of play.

Flick concurred, and although Spain thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 on matchday one, the Germany coach chose to remain optimistic as he urged his team to be courageous at Al Bayt Stadium.

Asked about Luis Enrique's assessment, Flick added: "I can only confirm this. I think both teams, if you look at systems, it's one-to-one in each position, and this is what we tell our players, to be in position to win the duels.

"Spain, of course, is a team who have always played the 4-3-3 formation like Barcelona, regardless of their opponent. They then have clear automatic moves and we need to find a way against it, we have a plan and we hope to implement it.

"The main focus for me has been the football, I think I'm convinced about what we want to do, how we want to play football.

"[Germany's situation] could've been avoided, but we still stick to our guns because we have the quality. We can implement what we want.

"This is what it's all about, being brave, believing in our quality and going into the match like that."

Luis Enrique has warned Spain against complacency heading into the mouth-watering World Cup showdown with Germany, who he feels will "hammer" La Roja if they are overconfident.

The 2010 champions launched their campaign in Qatar with a comprehensive 7-0 rout of Costa Rica on Wednesday, scoring seven goals in a single match at the finals for the first time.

La Roja could secure their last-16 place with a match to spare with victory over Germany, who they steamrollered 6-0 when the sides last met in the Nations League two years ago.

Following their shock defeat by Japan, Hansi Flick's side would subsequently be eliminated at the first hurdle for the second successive finals should Costa Rica fail to beat the Samurai Blue elsewhere in Group E.

Addressing the media at his pre-match press conference, Luis Enrique said: "We tried to manage the [Costa Rica] victory with all normality.

"It was resounding and that gives confidence, but we shouldn't have too much confidence. We face an opponent that will hammer us if we are overconfident.

"It's a great challenge. They've won a World Cup four times. We respect them greatly, they've great players and history is undeniable. 

"Germany are a very good team, so much mobility. If we can control that, great. Otherwise, I have to think about every single element."

He added: "But we are convinced we can beat Germany. We don't want a crazy open match because if they play a high block, we may take too many risks.

"There are many things we have to find out, but we need to follow our principles, which are very similar to theirs."

Meanwhile, forward Dani Olmo, who opened the scoring in the Costa Rica victory, urged his team-mates not to take Germany's defeat by Japan for granted, and focus on their own performance levels.

"Of course, they're under pressure, they need to win after loss against Japan," he said. "But we know they are one of the best in the world, and you cannot put them down after one game.

"It's a final for them, they need to win to get to next round, but we focus on our journey because we are through if we win.

"Hansi a great coach, he wants to dominate the game, he showed this in Bayern. 

"Most of their players play for Bayern, so we know the style, and they know us well, so we have to focus on our game."

The official line is that it doesn't matter. It's an irrelevance. In fact, why are we even talking about it?

"I don't think that it plays any role. It was two years ago," said Julian Brandt on Friday.

But Spain's 6-0 slicing and dicing of Germany in November 2020 looms large over Sunday's re-match at Al Bayt Stadium, however much any protagonists pretend to ignore its presence.

Germany's record defeat in a competitive international came in that Nations League contest played in Seville, and while Joachim Low hung on a little longer as coach, that was the night when his fate was as good as sealed.

So there's one thing that has changed since the humiliation at La Cartuja: Low has gone and Hansi Flick is pulling the strings for Germany, the former Bayern Munich boss entrusted with leading the team into the World Cup.

"We are in a different position now and have improved in a lot of areas – even if not everything is going smoothly," said Germany midfielder Brandt.

How's about that for understatement of the year?

Germany are positively reeling, on the brink of a second consecutive World Cup group-stage elimination after folding to a 2-1 defeat against Japan in their Group E opener.

Their hopes hinge, more than likely, on finding a way to beat Spain, a team who left scorched earth in their wake while crushing Costa Rica 7-0 on matchday one.

"At the end of the day, it is a chance to change the mood," reckoned Brandt. "A game like this can energise you a lot. The 6-0 doesn't play a part for any player."

To which one can only hold one's hands up and commend the focus of the modern-day player if they can genuinely freeze out memories of such dark nights.

Brandt was an unused substitute for that six-goal shellacking, so perhaps the scars genuinely have faded in his case.

As a bystander, he could hardly be held responsible, and Brandt was also a bench-warmer throughout Germany's capitulation against Japan, so he gets another free pass there.

Where is there accountability then? Perhaps German FA (DFB) technical director Oliver Bierhoff is the man to be looking at, having been in post for coming up to five years.

Bierhoff gave Low his backing after the Spain shambles two years ago, and bringing his involvement up to the present day, the former striker said Germany were "really, really angry" at themselves for folding against Japan.

The Euro 96 final match-winner described the upcoming Spain game as "the first final" for Germany at this World Cup.

He also told broadcaster ARD it was "a myth" the team needed to be friends and said "friction and conflict" could be positive.

So there might not be absolute love and harmony in the ranks, but Bierhoff insists Germany are fully focused on their mission.

"That's the most important thing," Bierhoff said, "that in the end, even though we are many different personalities and have different ideas, we all submit to one single goal: to play a successful World Cup."

Germany have never lost consecutive group games in a single edition of the World Cup, but this team doesn't let history stop them achieving firsts. After all, they had only lost their opening game at a World Cup once in their first 18 appearances at the finals, prior to 2018, but now they have surrendered openers at consecutive editions.

In World Cup games where Germany had scored at least once, they were unbeaten in 29 matches (W25 D4) before tossing away a first-half lead to hand over three points to Japan on Wednesday. Their last such defeat was the famous 2-1 quarter-final loss to Bulgaria at USA 94.

They've never lost three consecutive World Cup games, but their 2018 campaign ended with a painful defeat to South Korea, then came Japan, and now Spain stand in their way.

The good news for Germany is that Spain have not won their opening two games at a World Cup since 2006. In 2010, when they went on to lift the trophy, Spain lost to Switzerland in their opener, so mishaps can happen.

Rather more bleak for Flick and Co is that Germany have won just one their last seven games against Spain, a 1-0 friendly success in November 2014. They have drawn two and lost four in that span and have not beaten Spain in a competitive game since Euro 88, drawing two games and losing three.

Where should Germany look for positives?

Young midfielder Jamal Musiala has emerged in the two years since that dismal trip to Andalusia, but Germany sorely lack a world-class striker, the sort that might have put the Japan game to bed before the underdogs set about fighting back in the final quarter.

Arguably the same might be said of Spain, but Ferran Torres hit three in the 6-0 rout and netted twice against Costa Rica, so Germany must be watchful there.

Spain toppled Germany 1-0 in the 2010 World Cup semi-finals, the first and only time they have defeated the four-time champions in the tournament's history.

They have talent pouring through the ranks, with the likes of Pedri, Gavi and Dani Olmo impressing against the outclassed Costa Ricans, while Germany bring a familiar cast, star-studded but struggling to equal the sum of their parts.

After the Spain game in 2020, Flick, then with Bayern Munich, said of the national team: "I was disappointed with the way we played football. On the other hand, these things are possible in football, sometimes you get run over and, in the end, you have to draw the right conclusions."

He added: "But that's not my job."

Now, however, it emphatically is his job. Flick has to work out how to lift a group left shattered by Japan's comeback, while ignoring the elephant stomping around the room, trumpeting the message that the last time Germany encountered Spain, it went down as one of the national team's darkest days.

But it could get darker still. If Germany crumble again to La Roja, this time at the World Cup, prepare for a total eclipse of Die Mannschaft.

Luis Enrique described Gavi's abilities as "out of the ordinary" following his scintillating World Cup debut for Spain.

Barcelona teenager Gavi marked his major tournament bow by scoring an exquisite volley as Luis Enrique's team thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday, becoming the third-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Only Brazil great Pele in 1958 (17 years, 239 days) and Mexico's Manuel Rosas in 1930 (18 years, 93 days) have hit the net at the tournament when younger than Gavi, who did so at the age of 18 years and 110 days.

Asked about Gavi's abilities during a Twitch livestream on Thursday, Luis Enrique said: "It's not very normal, it's something out of the ordinary. 

"We all realise how difficult it is to do it at the age that he does it.

"He has good defensive appreciation. Controlling his energy is one of the things Gavi is improving. Hopefully that impetus helps him to win many balls."

Spain's second Group E fixture sees them take on Hansi Flick's Germany in a heavyweight contest on Sunday, with Die Mannschaft reeling following their surprise defeat to Japan.

Depending on the result of Japan's meeting with Costa Rica earlier on Sunday, another Spain victory could see them condemn the four-time winners to a group-stage exit, and Enrique expects to make changes to his starting line-up.

"I hardly repeat an eleven. It's hard for me. There will surely be some changes," Enrique said. "They train so well that now anyone could play with a total guarantee of a good performance. 

"Today we analysed the Germany-Japan match, and we take into account its characteristics to find the players in the best shape."

Luis Enrique believes Gavi will become one of the "stars of football" after the teenager scored his first World Cup goal as Spain thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday.

Gavi netted the fifth goal in a one-sided clash, getting on the end of an Alvaro Morata pass to fire in off the right post with 16 minutes remaining.

Aged 18 years and 110 days, it made him the youngest player to score at a World Cup for any nation since Pele (17y 249d) for Brazil in the 1958 final against Sweden.

At a press conference after the Group E victory, La Roja head coach Luis Enrique was asked just how good the Barcelona midfielder can be.

"I don't know, I hope he's going and playing every time better and trying to be aggressive with and without ball," he said. 

"He's unique, very different because he's 18 now, but he has the personality of an experienced player.

"It is a pleasure to play with the boy, because he is a boy. He needs a bit of calm sometimes but we are very happy to have him in the team.

"I think he's going to be one of the stars of football."

Sunday will see Spain's second game in Qatar against Germany, who were surprisingly beaten 2-1 by Japan earlier on Wednesday.

Luis Enrique is not concerned about Spain potentially being complacent when they face Germany after opening their World Cup campaign with a 7-0 hammering of Costa Rica.

Spain were dominant from start to finish as they recorded their biggest World Cup win ever at Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday.

Costa Rica failed to register a single shot, with this just the second instance of a team managing zero shots in a World Cup game since 1966.

La Roja's demolition job came a matter of hours after Group E rivals Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Japan.

Spain face Hansi Flick's side at Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday in a game that will go a long way to determining who progresses to the knockout stages.

After battering Costa Rica, it was put to Luis Enrique that his team might suffer from over-confidence, but the coach insists that is not a concern.

"We have to understand the head is important for everything," he said when asked specifically about managing the team's mentality.

"We've been working with a psychologist a long time, we were seen as aliens for doing that at first.

"I know these players, they are competitive, they won't be relaxed for the next game. We'll play exactly the same against Germany. If they beat us then we have to say they are better than us, that's it.

"I have no doubt whatsoever, we will be as competitive, or even more because Germany is an amazing team and this would really encourage us.

"Yes, euphoria can be negative and speculation too, but that's not in our DNA [to be impacted by that], we are living this with so much intensity.

"There may be changes but I trust all players. If there are changes it won't be because we think we are already qualified."

The mood of Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez could not have been more different.

Unsurprisingly, this was Los Ticos' biggest World Cup defeat, and Suarez did not sugarcoat how he felt about what was – in football terms – a disastrous day.

"I'm feeling very sad. It's not just about that, also I had very different expectations for this game and my feelings were completely different ahead of the game, now I'm not feeling okay," he said.

"I need to work with this result and be very sure with the players about how to lift the mood.

"I'm really worried my team won't cope with this terrible result. We have to leave this behind us and start working as of [Thursday] morning to show the players – they already know this – that we have to remember about Japan and try to win that match."

No other nation has lost more World Cup opening matches than Spain's seven, and head coach Luis Enrique will be hoping his side do not miscue once again against Costa Rica in Group E on Wednesday.

Spain have not returned to a major tournament final since winning two European Championships and a World Cup between 2008 and 2012.

But a new generation of exciting youngsters is inspiring hopes of a return to those glory days, with players such as Pedri and Ansu Fati providing a new spark.

Spain's youngest ever World Cup goalscorer was a 22-year-old Fernando Torres at the 2006 edition, but a range of players could break that in Qatar.

Luis Enrique made 12 World Cup appearances for Spain as a player between 1994 and 2002, though he never made it past the quarter-final.

He hopes to get further than that as their head coach though, telling reporters: "Our goal is to play seven games in Qatar."

Marco Asensio could be in line to feature after an impressive display in friendly victory over Jordan, with Luis Enrique saying: "He [Asensio] has been at another level, excellent.

"With that attitude, with the quality he has, he can play wherever."

Wednesday's opponents Costa Rica have won just five World Cup matches, though three of those came in their opening game of the tournament.

Costa Rica head coach Luis Fernando Suarez was full of praise for his Spain counterpart's style of play, but also feels his side are ready to put in a competitive display.

"He [Luis Enrique] is a great coach," Suarez said. "Despite everything that happens, Spain will always play the same way.

"We've been in World Cup mode for a long time. The group is feeling pretty good and is willing to give everything."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Spain – Ferran Torres

Ferran Torres scored four times for Spain in qualifying for the tournament in Qatar, at least twice more than any other player, and Luis Enrique will be hoping the Barcelona forward continues that goalscoring form in this opening match.

Costa Rica – Bryan Ruiz

Ruiz has featured in eight World Cup matches for Costa Rica, the second most of all time behind Christian Bolanos' nine appearances. If the 37-year-old plays at this tournament, the former Fulham man would become the oldest player to feature for Costa Rica at a World Cup. 

PREDICTION

While Spain's record in World Cup opening matches is shaky, they should have more than enough quality to get past Costa Rica at Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday.

According to Stats Perform's AI model, Luis Enrique's side have a 82.7 per cent chance of winning the game, compared to Costa Rica's 5.4 per cent. There could be a few early nerves from Spain in many of their players' first World Cup experience, so the 11.9 per cent possibility of the teams drawing is not out of the question.

Luis Enrique expressed sorrow for removing Jose Gaya from Spain's World Cup squad but insisted he made the right call despite Valencia apparently claiming the left-back's injury was minor.

Gaya was cut from the Spain selection last week after suffering an ankle injury in training, and although media reports at the time suggested his recovery would only be brief, Luis Enrique replaced him with Barcelona's Alejandro Balde.

After returning home, Spanish publication AS reported Gaya's club quickly declared him fit.

But when Luis Enrique addressed the media on Tuesday ahead of Spain's World Cup opener against Costa Rica, the coach was adamant Gaya's injury would have ruled him out for a chunk of the group stage at least.

For the Spain coach, doing without a player for so long was non-negotiable.

"With regard to Gaya, it happens everywhere," Luis Enrique told reporters. "I have to make decisions.

"If I followed my heart based on his professionalism, he'd be here, but I can't make decisions based on my heart. I have to use mind.

"In three games he'd not have been able to play 100 per cent. I have to make the best decision for the whole team and the whole country. Imagine if I'd listened to Valencia or what Gaya wanted, which was normal, and then imagine if [Jordi] Alba is injured.

"We'd start the World Cup with no left-back, then imagine what you'd say about me. You'd ask why we risked the situation.

"My mind said I should make the best decision for the team, and there's no doubt the best is to have two fully fit full-backs for the World Cup."

Luis Enrique's explanation did not satisfy everyone in attendance, with the former midfielder pressed on why he could not have just played someone else slightly out of position.

But Luis Enrique did not believe that was an option.

"No, you might not believe this, but I can't keep waiting for someone [to be fit], because no one else will be able to adapt to demands of left-back," he added.

"A winger can act as a wing-back at times, but left-back is unfortunately the only position I cannot wait for.

"If it happened to a centre-back, I'd wait, but I only have two players for the left-back position. I'm truly, deeply sorry for Gaya, I really like him, he's a great guy and he has had very bad luck, but I have to think with my mind what a coach should do.

"He's been unfortunate with the injury, he did it while crossing, and it was something I'd never seen before. But I'm sure he'll get something positive in future."

Luis Enrique was followed by Spain captain Sergio Busquets, who at 34 is the elder statesman in La Roja's squad.

Spain's group is among the youngest at the tournament, with six of their players aged 20 or younger.

But Busquets does not believe the younger players' age makes them any less competent.

Asked about the presence of his Barcelona team-mates Pedri and Gavi, Busquets said: "They are very young players, but they've received awards already and they are very well known in spite of their age.

"But they are here as part of the national team to contribute as they can. If the coach decides to field them, then it's a collective group - it's not about individual talent.

"But obviously, having players who are so skilled is great."

Eric Garcia believes Spain's "spectacular" blend of exuberant youngsters and experienced veterans could see them beat any team at the World Cup in Qatar.

Between 2008 and 2012, Spain lifted two European Championship titles and also won their first World Cup as they dominated international football, boasting stars such as Andres Iniesta, Iker Casillas and David Villa.

However, since that Euro 2012 triumph, Spain have not made it back to a major tournament final and the majority of their key players from those glory years have retired.

Just Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba remain from that Euro 2012 squad, but the emergence of exciting young talent such as Ansu Fati and Pedri has reignited hopes of success returning under the stewardship of Luis Enrique.

Defender Garcia feels Spain's mix of senior figures, such as Busquets and Alba, and their electrifying tyros could lead to a successful tournament in Qatar.

"For me, we have a perfect combination between young and old," Garcia told SPORT. "In the end, youngsters continue to learn every day, and other more experienced players try to teach us.

"I think that this combination has many benefits in many aspects, because this group is spectacular.

"We have to be ourselves. We know what we are capable of when we are ourselves, we can compete and beat any team. That is the first step, first Costa Rica and then the rest, with the intention of going far, which is what we want.

"Maybe we don't have a [Lionel] Messi or a Neymar, but we have players who individually contribute a great plus, like Pedri, Gavi, Busquets, [Marco] Asensio at the level he is. Having these players will help us."

Qatar will be Garcia's first taste of World Cup action with Spain, and he is thrilled to be part of the team, explaining how he watched past tournaments since childhood.

"As you get older, you're thinking, 'I wish I could be there one day'," he said. "It is a privilege to be able to be here, living an experience that everyone would like to live, so it must be appreciated and valued."

Garcia hopes to be selected in Luis Enrique's line-up for Spain's opening game against Costa Rice on Wednesday, adding: "The competition in each position is very high, but in my head is to work as much as possible in training and if the coach counts on me, be at the highest possible level every minute I play."

After the meeting with Costa Rica, Spain will take on Germany and Japan in Group E.