Spain boss Luis de la Fuente demands more despite dominant World Cup display

Spain continued their outstanding tournament by keeping another clean sheet, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Pedro Porro adding the third. 

The result underlined why they are among the favourites to lift the trophy, having yet to concede a goal in the competition.

Despite the convincing display, De la Fuente made it clear that his team could still improve.

"I have many reasons to be happy today. First, because of the victory, we won significantly, and the image of the team was fabulous," he told reporters. "But there is still room for improvement. Perhaps you think you have seen the best of us, but this team has not yet reached its capabilities. There is more to do."

The Spain manager said the performance should serve as the standard for the knockout rounds rather than a reason to relax.

"Today's performance should be the foundation for what comes next," he said. "We are going to keep improving and doing things better. We are not yet satisfied - we are going for more."

De la Fuente also warned against complacency after Austria failed to register a single shot on target.

"There were situations where we lacked high pressure. You need to keep improving all the time," he said. "When you get flattered and believe it, you become weaker. Satisfaction can kill you."

The 65-year-old reserved special praise for left-back Marc Cucurella, whose two assists helped Oyarzabal score both of his goals.

"Cucurella is invaluable. He is a top-notch player," De la Fuente said.

Spain's attention now turns to a huge Round of 16 meeting with Portugal at Dallas Stadium in Texas on Monday, 6 July. De la Fuente expects an even tougher challenge but believes his squad is ready to raise its level once again.

"The next phase will be increasingly demanding," he said. "We have wonderful players, but the only focus is to exceed our own expectations."

READ MORE: Spain march on as Mikel Oyarzabal fires Austria out of World Cup