There was a checkered wall that threatened to become unbreakable. Croatia had already shown itself to be an impossible nut to crack in the final of the Nations League, when the Reds needed to resort to penalties to beat the Balkan team. This time, in addition, Croatia had something extra to motivate Zlatko Dalić’s already motivated boys: the fans. According to the Croatian press, there were nearly 100,000 fans on the streets of the German capital. A flood that took over the center of Berlin, took over the means of transport on the way to the team’s debut in the Euro Cup and silenced (from the start) the Spanish public in the Olympic Stadium. For every La Roja fan there were about five Croatians. But neither the packed stands nor Luka Modrić’s football could defeat Spain. Not even with Fabián Ruiz.
3
Unai Simón, Marc Cucurella, Dani Carvajal, Robin Le Normand, Nacho, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Pedri, Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal, Álvaro Morata, Dani Olmo (Pedri, min. 58), Mikel Oyarzabal (Álvaro Morata, min. 66 ), Mikel Merino (Nico Williams, min. 67), Ferran Torres (Lamine Yamal, min. 85) and Martín Zubimendi (Rodri, min. 85)
0
Dominik Livakovic, Marin Pongracic, Josko Gvardiol, Josip Sutalo, Josip Stanisic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Ante Budimir, Andrej Kramaric, Lovro Majer, Ivan Perisic (Ante Budimir, min. 55), Mario Pasalic (Luka Modric, min. 64), Luka Sucic (Mateo Kovacic, min. 64) and Bruno Petkovic (Andrej Kramaric, min. 71)
Goals
1-0 min. 28: Morata. 2-0 min. 31: Fabian. 3-0 min. 46: Dani Carvajal
Referee Michael Oliver
Rodrigo (min. 77)
“The coach told me before starting the game that when he had it, he would hit him. I don’t know if it’s the best goal of my career, but it is one of the most important,” he would confess at the end of the match, becoming one of the protagonists of Spain’s debut.
They claimed in the Croatian media that something never seen before was happening in Berlin: so many fans had never come to see their team. About 400,000 Croatians live in Germany. A tide impossible to calculate, according to the press officers of the Croatian Federation. The reason for his presence in the German capital was clear: to say goodbye to his greatest legend, Modrić. But the shadow of the number 10 did not scare Fabián in the center of the field, much less the noise or the flares from the Croatian fans.
Fabián is used to defying adversity. It is, essentially, the story of his life. Faced with the difficulties of a humble family from Los Palacios and Villafranca (Seville), Fabián dribbled with the ball at his feet. His mother Chari Peña and his older brother helped him. “They deprived themselves of things. “I realized it when I was older,” he would confess. As soon as he arrived at the Betis youth academy, other problems appeared: he was too skinny. But just as his mother hid her financial difficulties, the boy’s soccer hid his physical weakness. It wasn’t until he was 14 years old that he experienced a spectacular physical change: he grew 30 centimeters. By then, Betis had found a job for his mother as a cleaner at the club.
And he became a regular in the calls of the red. However, at Betis he was not getting off the ground: he spent a season on loan at Elche before establishing himself. From Betis he jumped first to Naples and then to PSG. And De la Fuente always had it in mind. He did not forget his U19 team, that of Dani Olmo, Oyarzabal, Merino, Rodri and also Fabián. In fact, after Luis Enrique dispensed with him for the national team, De la Fuente recovered him for his cause. “He is an exceptional player, of a great world level. If his name wasn’t Fabián, you would talk about him more. We have to know the football potential we have in our country. We must value this generation that has won everything. He is the representation of all the players who work in the shadows and should have that media recognition that others have,” De la Fuente explained.
The problem was that no matter how much the coach trusted him, he needed game rhythm before the Euro Cup, something that seemed to go wrong with Luis Enrique at PSG. But once again, Fabián beat adversity. And the coach once again mixed Rodri with Fabián, his luxury partner in the midfield. And if not, ask Modrić and company. Spain won the midfield battle against Croatia and Fabián silenced 50,000 Croatians with an assist and a goal. By then, the noise was already from Spain: MVP for the Red eight and My big night playing through the speakers of the Olympic Stadium. Not bad for Chari’s son.
You can follow The USA Print in Facebook and xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
_
