Midfielder Gavi became the youngest international player in the history of Spain when he participated in the victory over Italy in the UEFA Nations League semifinal on Wednesday. He immediately showed why coach Luis Enrique believes in his abilities at just 17 years and 62 days old. Despite having played only three matches with his club Barcelona, Luis Enrique chose to start Gavi in a midfield trio against the European champions at the San Siro.
Facing players like Marco Verratti and Jorginho, Gavi displayed no signs of nerves and played with a rare confidence for someone making his debut, leading Spain to a 2-1 victory and securing a place in the final against Belgium or France on Sunday. Gavi played calmly and confidently, constantly seeking to pass to his team's attackers, which earned him praise from his coach.
Luis Enrique stated, "We have already talked about him being an extraordinary case. He plays as if he’s in his backyard. It is a pleasure to see a player of such quality and character. He is the future of the national team like many other players, but he also showed he is part of the present."
The teenager broke a record that stood for 85 years when Ángel Zubieta of Athletic Bilbao made his first international appearance for Spain in April 1936 at the age of 17 years and 284 days in a match against Czechoslovakia. Luis Enrique, who faced criticism from the Spanish press regarding his lineup choices, added, "There isn’t much for him, he has the character and quality to play at this level." He concluded, "The match went beautifully for us, but it was a game between competitors playing with their best players. My team looked dangerous all the time, we pressed well and I am very happy. We didn’t have many training sessions, and this wasn’t easy, but the players' behavior was amazing."
