Aymeric Laporte was granted Spanish citizenship only 2 weeks ago and instantaneously books his place in the 26-man Spanish team for the Euros selected by Luis Enrique.
With the ageing Ramos, Laporte saw his opportunity to pounce into his entitled Spanish nationality which he gained from playing in Bilbao for just short of a decade.
He moved from France to the academy of Athletic Bilbao which he rose up through despite local debate over his tenuous links to the Basque region. He was fortunately given his debut by Marcelo Bielsa in the 2012 Europa League and later proceeded to prompt success at the Northern Spanish club and eventually sign for £57 million for Manchester City. Meeting Pep Guardiola was just another managerial treat as he experienced the pinnacility of tutoring from the 2 most innovative and phenomenal coaches in the history of football.
Enrique knew this season that with his current club partnership with Ruben Dias, the Spanish defensive wall would be solidified indefinitely as Laporte is expected to feature for years to come.
The new star of Spain is emerging while controversially Sergio Ramos and all other eligible Real Madrid players have been excluded from the squad which Real Madrid President Florentino Perez explicitly criticised saying, "It's fine. We'll just make our own Euros."
This comes ironically since Enrique was the Barcelona manager for 3 years. His allegiance this year doesn't lie what so ever with Real Madrid perhaps influenced by his spell at the Bernabeu from 1991-1996 which he stated following the early 1995 El Clasico that he "rarely felt appreciated by Real Madrid supporters and didn't have good memories there."
After being appointed as Barca head coach, the team was once again riddled with success including another Champions League and to rub salt into the wound for the Los Blancos fans who passionately believed he was a traitor, he further emphasised his devotion to the club by kissing the badge after every El Clasico goal for the Catalans.
Enrique was one of the only footballing greats to transfer from the capital to Catalonia with countless others moving vice vera like Luis Figo and Michael Laudrup.
Enrique's selfishness to the Real Madrid players like veteran Spaniard Sergio Ramos this season, was justified very clearly in his latest press conference,"I've not included Ramos because he's bot been able to play much this season," Enrique said. "Especially since January he's not been fit enough, and at times not even training with the group at his club.
"It wasn't easy, but I called him last night (Sunday) and we had a difficult and tough conversation. I feel bad as he's a player who has always been at the top level and has a future with the national team. It's a decision that I've taken for the good of the national team and the group as a whole."
Spain since Luis Enrique's potent introduction in November of 2019 have picked up 5 draws including against Greece, Portugal and Germany. A very average run of form for one of the most prominent European footballing nations. Yet still, Spain advanced to the semi-finals of the Nations League which will commence in October of this year (due to its postponement) against fellow Mediterraneans Italy.
The question in everyone's minds for the upcoming Euro Championship however is, can Spain return to the top and dominate the European football scene by snatching the crown arduously off the likes of bordering rivals Portugal and World Champions France with the absence of Sergio Ramos?
The Madrid centre half tweeted: "I have fought and worked every day, in body and soul, to be able to reach 100% for Real Madrid and the national team but things don't always work out the way we'd like.
"It pains me not to have been able to help my team more and not to play for Spain but, in this case, the best thing to do is rest, fully recover and come back next year like we've always done. It hurts not to represent your country, but I have to be honest and sincere. I wish all my teammates the very best of luck and I hope we have a great Euros. I'll be another fan cheering on from home."
It could prove pivotal to the success of the Spaniards in this tournament where they are grouped with Poland, Sweden and Slovakia. Can Enrique's confidence in Laporte defend the most clinical striker in football at the moment in Poland's Robert Lewandowski though?
A valiant manager guiding this young and spirited team who have the ambition to surprise with attacking pressure, will direct Spain to be entertaining in this year's Euros yet more inexperienced than ever before.
Spain's 26-man Euros 2020 Squad:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David de Gea (Manchester United), Robert Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders: Jose Gaya (Valencia), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Eric Garcia (Manchester City), Diego Llorente (Leeds), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Fabian Ruiz (Napoli), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Gerard Moreno (Villarreal), Ferran Torres (Manchester City), Adama Traore (Wolves), Pablo Sarabia (Paris St-Germain)
Former Frenchman centre-back has a demanding job to keep his net locked across Europe alongside his Manchester City companion Eric Garcia as Ramos will be cheering for clean sheets in the stands.
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