Spain’s Youth Academy Director Reveals How Lamine Yamal Was Secured for National Team

In an interview with AS, Francis Hernandez said he welcomed "with joy" Lamine Yamal’s decision to play for Spain: "We had confidence in his potential. I did my job to keep him with us. We knew he was different and that there was a risk that he would not play for Spain. I tried to be close to him, to make him trust us. We had to meet with him and his family to explain our goal to them." And he added: "Lamine did not hesitate to play for Spain. He accepted because he knows that it is the best thing for him. He lives in Spain, he plays in a Spanish club..."

With Brahim Diaz, things did not go in favor of the Spanish federation. "There is no doubt that Spain counted on him at all levels and for all coaches, including Luis de la Fuente. He was not lucky. From November to March, there were no FIFA dates and despite the fact that he was on our pre-list and that we had warned him and his club, he decided to go to Morocco. Players play where they want to play. We respect that," Hernandez said.

The former director of the RFEF youth academy retired a few months ago, after winning several titles: European Under-19 Championship in Armenia with the 2000-2001 generation, European Under-21 Championship in Italy with the 96-97 generation, Nations League, etc. "It’s not just about winning titles. The goal is to chart a path. During my six years, which were actually five due to the pandemic, we were named the best federation in Europe for four years," he proudly stated.