The future is ours

The silent revolution, or not, of the National Team led by Luis Enrique has new heroes. Gavi, Yeremy Pino and Pedri, who debuted with La Roja during the qualification phase for the 2022 World Cup that began last March, make up the Qatar Generation who, together with Ansu Fati, are called to lead the national team in the next World Cup event.

Since the Asturian coach arrived in 2018, he has managed to combine a commitment to young footballers and veterans in a replacement that looks good. Gavi and Pedri, aged 17 and 18 respectively, are the visible faces of a generational change in La Roja that is called to play a good role in the Qatar World Cup of the next year. Of the 63 players he has called up, 61 have been used by the coach since he took the reins in 2018. Of them, 39.6 percent are under 26 years of age, a total of 25 players. Brahim and Cucurella were called up but have not played. In addition to the 26 who have debuted with the Absolute under his command, 15 are under 25 years old, 55.5 percent. And there is also the circumstance that only 20 footballers had been called up with 24 years or less (31.7%). Without a doubt, this is a firm commitment to a new generation of footballers. The rejuvenation in the Absolute by the hand of Luis Enrique is a fact. He has only made his debut to eight players aged over 26 years.

This new generation has a connection with the World Champions of South Africa, in the names of Jesús Navas and Busquets, the latter could arrive in Qatar as captain of the dressing room (along with Jordi Alba). This will be the link between the golden age of the National Team and a team in which Gavi, Pedri, Ansu Fati and Yeremy Pino, less than twenty years old, will be in charge of showing that Spanish football is not exhausted.

Currently, the average age is 25.2 years, lower than the teams that won the Eurocups (2008 and 2012) and the 2010 World Cup. At the 2008 event, the average age was 27.2 years; in 2010, it dropped to 25.9 and in 2012 it had risen to 26.7. For the Qatari date, the age goes down again.

Consolidated.

This generation of JASPs (Young But Well Prepared) had first knocked down the door on their teams. Gavi and Eric Garcia are indisputable starters at Barcelona. Pedri and Ansu Fati were and will be when they recover from their injuries, Yeremy Pino is consolidated at Villarreal. These are the some examples of the youngest footballers, but We must not forget Ferran Torres, at City, Brahim at Milan, or Unai Simón, at Athletic. These are some of the examples of the present of this generation that predicts that the future will be Spanish.

Other essential players in Luis Enrique’s calls are Dani Olmo and Pau Torres who debuted in the nine games that Robert Moreno was in charge of the National Team, as did Pablo Sarabia or Gerard Moreno, who were almost thirty.

There is still one year to go until the World Cup in Qatar, something that is even more exciting, since the young talents who have made it to the National Team will be more experienced when the competition arrives. Luis Enrique has led a generational changeover that fuels optimism after getting the direct pass and that allows us to think that the future, in the next World Cup, is ours.