Roberto Fernandez Earns Spain Call-Up for England Nations League Clash
Roberto Fernandez has described his first Spain senior call-up as the fulfilment of a long-held ambition after rebuilding his career at Espanyol. The 24-year-old forward joined Luis de la Fuente’s squad at the Ciudad del Futbol in Las Rozas ahead of a Nations League programme that begins against England at Wembley on 26 September.
Key takeaways
- Fernandez has received his first senior Spain selection at the age of 24.
- The Espanyol striker said his family watched the squad announcement video with him until his name was revealed.
- De la Fuente told the new arrival to retain the form that earned him the call-up, enjoy the occasion and learn from the group.
- Spain will play England in London on 26 September, Croatia in Seville on 29 September and the Czech Republic in Oviedo on 2 October.
- Fernandez believes regular LaLiga football has accelerated his tactical development.
Espanyol revival earns international chance
Fernandez’s inclusion follows a difficult spell with Braga in Portugal and a subsequent resurgence after moving to Espanyol, initially on loan before completing a permanent transfer. He credited the Barcelona club for backing him fully at a time when his confidence had been tested.
“It is an honour to represent a club such as Espanyol, who gave me all the confidence I needed when I was going through a hard period at Braga,” Fernandez said. “My objective was to reach the national team.”
The striker said the chance to play consistently in LaLiga has made a significant difference to his game over the past few seasons, particularly in his understanding of the tactical demands at the highest domestic level.
His selection became real while he was watching Spain’s official squad video with his family. Fernandez waited through the announcement before seeing his name appear at the end, an experience he described as a dream realised.
England test opens Spain’s Nations League schedule
On reporting for international duty, Fernandez held his first conversations with De la Fuente. The Spain coach’s message was straightforward: continue performing as he has since the start of the season, remain himself and take the opportunity to absorb as much as possible from the established internationals around him.
“He told me to be myself, to carry on doing what I have been doing at the start of the season, enjoy it and learn,” Fernandez said. “The group is spectacular.”
He has already been impressed by the standard and character within the camp, pointing to Marc Cucurella’s intensity and Pedri’s technical ability in training.
Spain begin their new Nations League campaign away to England at Wembley Stadium on 26 September. The fixture also carries personal significance for Fernandez, who recalled the disappointment of losing to England at Under-21 level and now has an opportunity to approach the meeting from a very different position.
De la Fuente’s world champions then return home to face Croatia in Seville on 29 September, before completing the opening set of fixtures against the Czech Republic in Oviedo on 2 October. Fernandez will hope to make his senior debut as Spain seek a positive start in their pursuit of a place in the Nations League Final Four.
