Along with playing for the best club in the world, wearing your country's badge is one of the most prestigious accolades a football player can receive throughout his career. Every athlete aspires to achieve the most desired awards for his nation.
The UEFA Nations League kicks off in less than a week, and all major European sides will compete for the trophy, which has been established as another yardstick of continental supremacy for a European nation.
Amidst this, a young Real Madrid player has won his first senior squad call-up.
A new Madridista added to Spain national team
Luis De La Fuente's list of call-ups for Spain was just announced, and Real Madrid's own Raul Asencio was on it for the first time. The defender has done everything he can to deserve this honor, and he will wear the Spanish badge for the first time in an international event.
Los Blancos have struck gold in Asencio, who has been an essential and now irreplaceable member of their squad for every critical game since his promotion from the academy this season. He is quick, intelligent, and aggressive on the ball, and he has already begun to remind supporters of numerous greats, like Pepe and Sergio Ramos.
It is worth noting that Asencio is the only Real Madrid player on this Spain team, which is an impressive achievement in itself. Real Madrid have always aspired to dominate the Spanish team in the same manner that FC Barcelona did, and this might be the first step toward that goal.
Manager Luis De La Fuente praised Raul Asencio at a news conference on the team as a whole. He said, "Raúl was having a great season. Yes, he had been in lower categories, but not in the U-21s. There are always players who accelerate the process. He shows his talent and proves he has a place. We celebrate that; he's another player who joins this family."
This marks the start of Asencio's long-term rising trajectory. Greater heights await him, and he will undoubtedly continue to amaze with his national team. The only remaining fear is that he may be given too many minutes because De La Fuente is already missing Aymeric Laporte and Dani Vivian. Asencio's fitness is crucial for the next games with Real Madrid.