As Spain dey prepare to face Austria for World Cup last-32, Fabian Ruiz don open up about team spirit and how e dey find im rhythm after injury. The midfielder, wey no too dey talk plenty, say inside the camp dey natural and players dey support each other.
For Chattanooga, where Spain don set up base, small children climb barriers and trees to catch glimpse of stars. One girl hold placard wey write: ‘I’ve been here three weeks.’ On Wednesday afternoon, Tennessee time, Spain finally leave for Los Angeles, and from there go Dallas if all go well. But plenty doubts dey outside; inside, e different.
Fabian no use many words, but one word e come back to na ‘natural.’ The debate about who play dey for other people. For Spain, opening tournament don focus on Lamine Yamal, wey be 18-year-old wey eclipse all else but don dey out since April. Everyone dey wait for am; only when e return dem fit begin proper.
All four wingers don get problem, and that cut to heart of Spain identity, the twist on tiki taka wey Luis de la Fuente bring. Midfield too dey important, and that na where Fabian fit come in or go out. E don start only for opener against Cape Verde.
Sometimes e feel easy to leave Fabian out. De la Fuente once talk say: ‘If im name no be Fabian, everybody go talk about am more.’ If e talk about imself more, dem fit talk, but that no be im. Softly spoken, e no always get noticed and no get lobby. Though e get nice joke the other day when e suggest TV channel subtitle am after dem do same to im mama.
Chari Peña get strong Andalucian accent, and Fabian proud of Andalucía and more proud of her. From small town Los Palacios y Villafranca, wey dey produce bumper cars, wicker chairs and tomatoes, Chari raise Fabian alone, dey work as cleaner at same training ground where im son pass through Betis youth system. Some days she go take am to session at 7am, leave am sleep for car, and go wake am when time to train. Everything e achieve na for her.
E don achieve plenty: European champion three times – winner of Euro 24, where e be Spain outstanding player, and two Champions Leagues with Paris Saint-Germain. De la Fuente claim Spain get ‘the six best midfielders in the world,’ but difficulty na to figure how to make all fit or which combination work best. And condition: like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, Mikel Merino and Fabian miss much season through injury.
‘E hard to get my pace and rhythm back, but I be 100% now,’ Fabian talk. ‘I think dem be 100%, but I fit only speak for myself: I feel in good form. There were long-term injuries and true say to start with e hard to get up to pace. I struggle with that, but by time I reach here, I don play various games in a row for PSG.’
For World Cup, Pedri and Rodri don start every game. Question na who play alongside dem. For opening game na Fabian; next na Dani Olmo; third na Merino. Who go play against Austria no certain. Fabian inclusion mean shift from 4-2-3-1 wey be De la Fuente preference to 4-3-3 or play Pedri higher. Fabian slip from side seem to be about shape, though e insist: ‘I no think e about Pedri position. From outside I no know how people look am. Inside we see am as totally natural. We know any central midfielder fit play. E no important who play, e important say we support each other.’
Those entrusted to lead, though, no dey. For Euro, Spain get triumvirate: Álvaro Morata lead through empathy; Dani Carvajal through competitiveness; Rodri through football. Only one remain. ‘Dani be two very important captains for us,’ Fabian talk. ‘But there be others wey get experience: Rodri, Unai Simón, Mikel Oyarzabal – wey seem shy, but you listen to am because e always get right opinion.’
What about you? No one else get two Champions Leagues, after all. ‘Well…’ Fabian talk, wey sort of say everything. ‘I always say I dey reserved. I no be someone wey like to show face for public, but within group I give my little bit to help teammates, especially younger ones. Whatever manager decide, we dey totally ready to help team on pitch or off. The best thing about this team na the family we be.’
