Ansu Fati, just 18, enjoyed a dream start for Spain’s senior team on Sunday night, scoring a penalty within three minutes of kick-off and then scoring a superb individual effort before half-time against Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League. Scored together. .
The historic goal made Fati (17 years and 311 days) the youngest ever scorer for the Spanish senior team – and to be fair, he might have been sooner had it not been for football’s unusual break this year. They would have scored.
Ansu Fati became Spain’s youngest ever goalscorer. What a talent pic.twitter.com/7K9dnHFiJe
— 90 Minutes (@90min_Football) September 6, 2020
After Sunday’s win and Fatty’s impressive display, Marca went with the headline ‘Tear Fatty Disney World’.
The Barcelona wonderkid is making a habit of breaking records. He is already the youngest goalscorer at Barça and in the Champions League.
The prodigious talent, who scored eight in 33 domestic appearances last season, had a long way to stardom.
?⏳HISTORICAL DATA!!
?⚽ @ANSUFATI became the youngest goalscorer in @SeFutbol history by scoring at the age of 17 years and 311 days.
??Congratulations!!??#We are Spain ??#We are the Federation pic.twitter.com/ZXB0sGdkRP
— Spanish Football Team (@SeFutbol) September 6, 2020
Born in Guinea-Bissau, Fati honed his technique playing with balls with rolled socks before moving to Andalusia, where he shone in the academies of Herrera and Sevilla before moving to Barcelona.
However, amid all the records and displays of ridiculous talent, one side note on Sunday night that probably went under the radar was that the match allowed Fatty to line up with one of his childhood heroes. First opportunity provided.
As Seville journalist Roberto Arocha noted on Twitter, Fati – who was raised in Andalusia and spent time in Sevilla’s youth system – was a big fan of Jesus Navas.
Ansu Fati became CL’s youngest ever scorer last night.
I spoke to his first coach in Spain earlier this season about how good he was, learning to play with socks and preparing himself for the bicycle kick… @90min_Football ?https:/ /t.co/xsbM8UpLtl
— Andrew Headspeath (@Andy_Headspeath) December 11, 2019
Arocha wrote with photo evidence: “His was like this. [Fati’s] The fixation is that he played with the same boots (replica) as the Sevilla captain. 2011/12 season.
“The boots were bought by Sevilla FC’s academy coordinator Ernesto Chao. They went to the store together and he said he wanted ones that looked like Navas (purple).”
2011 to 2020: Jesús Navas (34 years old) was always Ansu Fati’s (17) idol…he had such a fixation that he played with the same boots (replica) as the Sevilla captain. Season 2011-12. pic.twitter.com/s6zxPCMzf9
— Roberto Arrocha (@RarrochaR) September 6, 2020
Fati joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia in 2012, while Navas moved to Manchester City in 2013 (before returning in 2017), meaning the two have never linked up with the Andalusian side.
Nine years after the images tweeted by Arucha, Fati made his full international debut on 3 September in a 1–1 draw with Germany, in which, coincidentally, the youngster was substituted for his idol.
However, both players started in the win against Ukraine, finally giving them the opportunity to play together – although neither wore the purple boots.