Who is Gavi, the young sensation of the Spanish national team?

Spain submerges Costa Rica with a 1:26 win

(CNN Spanish) --

Pablo Páez Gaviria or "Gavi", as he is known on the soccer planet, played his first game in a World Cup in Spain's 7-0 win over Costa Rica.

Gavi scored the fifth goal after a masterful pass from Álvaro Morata that was hit without dropping the ball, to the further impotence of experienced goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Gavi, who at 18 can already say that he scored a goal in a World Cup, is a symbol of the new blood of Spanish football along with Pedri and Ferran Torres.

Gavi and Morata against Costa Rica.

Credit: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images

He was born on August 5, 2004 in Los Palacios y Villafranca, a town near Seville.

He weighs 70 kilos, is 1.73 meters tall and is a current midfielder for FC Barcelona.

"At the age of 11, the footballer decided to sign for Barça and join La Masia" indicates FC Barcelona on its file.

His first contact with soccer at a competitive level was with Real Betis, who added him to his youth soccer team.

At 16, Gavi made his official debut in LaLiga with the 2-1 victory over Getafe on August 29, 2021. He was seen at the Camp Nou for the first time at minute 73 when he came on for Sergi Roberto.

He has so far played 66 matches in total for his club.

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Gavi, photographed on October 12, 2022 in a Champions League match at the Camp Nou.

Credit: David Ramos/Getty Images

A few months later, on October 6, he made his debut with "la roja", the senior team, in Spain's 2-1 victory over Italy in the UEFA Nations League semifinal.

"He became the youngest footballer in history to play for the national team at just 17 years and 62 days," says FC Barcelona.

Gavi, who after his goal against Costa Rica has close to 8 million followers on Instagram, won in 2022 the Golden Boy award given by the Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport to the best European footballer under 21 years of age.

He also received this year the Kopa award from France Football magazine, the same one that offers the Ballon d'Or.

BGavi with the Kopa award on October 17, 2022. Credit: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images

His current market value is 90 million euros, according to Transfermarkt, which also reveals that his termination clause is 50 million euros.

It is sum, he is one of the most valuable players in current football.

Gavi's prestige in the so-called beautiful sport is not a future, it is a present.

What will come, perhaps with the same steady pace that has been seen so far, is a dream race.

This has been the performance of Gavi in ​​Qatar 2022

Against Costa Rica:

Gavi, at the time of scoring his first goal in a soccer world cup.

Credit: Stu Forster/Getty Images

PLUS:

• Results of Spain in the World Cup in Qatar 2022: points, classification, scorers, statistics and more

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• This is the Spanish squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup: stars, players, possible starting lineup

• How has Luis Enrique fared as Spain coach?

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• Calendar of Spain in the World Cup in Qatar 2022: matches, days and times