Muñoz: Playing in the World Cup while injured taught me a lot; I will always cherish this memory

Victor Muñoz attended a press conference for the Spanish national team training camp. This is the second portion of the press conference.

Victor, so much has changed for you in just a few months – from leaving Osasuna to joining Liverpool and becoming a World Cup champion. Have you had time to take it all in and enjoy this incredible journey, especially being in such a prominent position?

I think everything happened so fast that I haven't had time to fully process it all. But honestly, for me and my family, that's a good thing. You just have to try to enjoy every moment and every stage as it comes. I'm currently in excellent form with both Liverpool and the national team, and I'm already completely focused on our next match.

Victor, first of all, I have to share something with you – we were teammates at a youth academy back then, which makes me incredibly happy because I tell my friends that I once played with a World Cup champion. Now, I'd like to ask: from an insider's perspective, how do you view your World Cup experience? Beyond the immense joy of winning the championship, I imagine you also felt some frustration, since you hadn't fully recovered from your injury and were called into the squad at the last minute. How did you manage these conflicting emotions?

It was definitely a mix of emotions. Simply participating in the World Cup was a dream, and winning the championship with teammates who are like family – that was incredible. But as you said, I also went through some difficult moments. You have a brilliant season, you get rewarded with a World Cup spot, but then you realize your body has hit a wall. You can't recover in time for certain matches, injuries keep lingering, and you never reach 100% at any point in the tournament.

But I'm also trying to find the positive in it. I learned a lot and came to understand my body better – when you're young, you often don't have this awareness and think you're invincible. This experience has really helped me mature. Being able to share all of this with my family and friends, I will always treasure this memory, knowing that the overwhelming joy of winning the championship is what stays with me.

What was it like when you made your official debut for the Spanish national team? Following up on what was asked earlier – since you didn't make your debut during the World Cup, what was it like to finally make that debut on Spanish soil, in front of your hometown and your fans?

Making your official debut for Spain in the Nations League is an unforgettable experience. In any competition, representing your country is something special. All those difficult moments from the World Cup – when my body hadn't fully recovered – they all came rushing back. But now I'm in great form with both the national team and Liverpool, and I can't wait for the next match. I'm hungry for more playing time.

Victor, looking at this star-studded squad, how do you plan to earn a starting spot?

I work hard in training every day, doing my part and constantly working to improve my weaknesses. I believe that with hard work and perseverance – qualities that I think define me – I will always push myself to take the next step and do my part to help the team.

Victor, there's a lot of discussion in Spain right now about where the 2030 World Cup final will be held. The media is buzzing about it. Do you discuss this in the locker room? Compared to playing the final elsewhere, would hosting the World Cup final in your home country in 2030 have special meaning for you?

Yes, I think playing a World Cup in your own country would be a unique experience, but that's still quite far away. Right now we're focused entirely on our upcoming match against the Czech Republic. As for what happens in the future, only time will tell.

Victor, I'd also like to follow up on what colleagues asked earlier: you joined the squad injured at the World Cup and didn't get any playing time, but a few days ago you got minutes in the match against Croatia. How does it feel to be back playing for the Spanish national team?

It feels great. Playing alongside these players is smooth and natural. You're always surrounded by excellent teammates who you can pass to and play with. That improves my game and benefits me tremendously. I feel in excellent shape, and honestly, I want even more. I'm really looking forward to the next match and can't wait to get to training today. I'm full of energy and anticipation.

Victor, several national team coaches – including Luis de la Fuente – have criticized the Nations League schedule of four matches in ten days. What's your take? Do you think this arrangement is reasonable?

These things are beyond my control, and it's not really appropriate for me to comment on them. That said, the schedule is indeed very congested, and we just came off an intense series of matches with our clubs. But since this is something we can't control, I'll leave those decisions to others.

Victor, you once mentioned that GPS data analysis led you to change your playing position to the wing. Data plays an increasingly important role in football now. As a player, have you discovered anything surprising about your personal data?

There haven't been any particularly surprising discoveries, but GPS data analysis is definitely important. Being able to analyze these data points after each match helps you clearly understand what needs improvement in training and where you can enhance your performance. I believe all this data is very valuable for us as players.

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