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Fabregas Magic (AP)Cesc Fabregas spoke to the ball before the decisive penalty in the European Championship semi-final and asked it to help fulfill a historic journey.
A defender's shot secured Spain's victory after a penalty shootout of 4-2 and ensured the opportunity to win a third major tournament in a row - something no team has accomplished so far.
"I had a feeling there might be a penalty shootout and I thought about it a few hours before the match," said Fabregas. "Initially, I was told to take the second shot, but I wanted to be the last."
"When I stood at the spot, I told the ball that we would make history together, so it couldn't let me down. Four years ago, when we defeated Italy, I also spoke to the ball and it paid off."
Fabregas added that he doesn't care who they will play in the final: "It doesn't matter to me. The most important thing is that we will be there. Whoever our opponent is, it will be tough."
Meanwhile, coach Vicente Del Bosque said: "Reaching another final is a real miracle. I am very emotional. The players have played so many matches, but there is still one more where they need to prove that they are the best."
He added: "The semi-final match was very close, but in extra time we played a little better. The opponents were tired, but they had a few chances until then. It wasn't easy to break through their defense."
