The brotherhood of 9 and Joselu's amazing debut with Spain

When Joselu finally reached the La Rosaleda locker room on Saturday night after scoring two goals in four minutes on his debut for Spain, he spread hugs, took off his shirt, opened his locker and deposited it up there in a ball.

"I keep this one in gold...", he tells the cameraman of the federation that he follows him.

The next morning, in training before flying to Glasgow to play this Tuesday against Scotland (20.45, La1), he had a more precise idea of ​​what he will do: “I'm going to put her in a box.

I'm going to put it in the best place in the house, ”he said after having to go through a corridor of slaps to celebrate his feat.

The shirt has a number, 12, that he did not look for, and that contains a carom that tells a lot about how this veteran who turns 33 on Monday in his first time with the national team has fallen.

It was the number he was left over.

The footballers choose by seniority, and the Espanyol striker and David García, who did not enter the call, chose at the end.

Borja Iglesias, another striker, was there before, but Luis de la Fuente also left him off the bench.

So Joselu debuted with the number that one of his competitors was going to wear for the position.

But a rare and intense complicity has been forged between the strikers named by Luis de la Fuente, less common specimens on Luis Enrique's lists.

A brotherhood of 9. In the concentration they are often seen together, with Morata and Aspas.

After the game, already at the hotel, Joselu wrote a tweet shortly before one in the morning: “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Dream debut!"

The first response, just two minutes later, was written by Iglesias: "Great Selu, you deserve it."

He was delighted with the amazing night of his competition, according to federation sources: "The one who was happiest was Borja."

Great Selu, you deserve it ✨💪🏽🤍

— Borja Iglesias (@BorjaIglesias9) March 25, 2023

Also Morata, who was replaced by the Galician born in Stuttgart.

“He took great care of him.

He has taken a step forward as a captain ”, they say.

When the clock marked 80:31, Joselu entered the field after Morata stopped with him for a moment: "He gives me two kisses and wishes me good luck."

Two minutes and 28 seconds later, he headed in a cross from Fabián.

He runs towards the corner and drops to the ground.

When the pile that fell on top of him falls apart, Joselu goes to look for Morata, who enters the field a few steps.

They hug.

Joselu lifts him up a bit: "He is very happy," says the Galician.

Back at the hotel, they resume the conversations: "I was talking to him at night, and the truth is that he has been a super good captain."

Before Morata's affectionate gesture in the relay, Joselu had kissed something else: “I always kiss the shin guards before.

I carry my father on the right, may he rest in peace.

On the left, my wife, my children and my mother.

It is what always gives me strength ”, he recounted still on the field.

They were very close, behind the Spanish bench, coming from Barcelona despite the uncertainty of whether they would see him play.

After kissing his wife, excited, he takes the children to see the grass: “Who has scored two goals?

Who has scored two goals today? ”, She tells them herself.

“Youuu!”, answers the older one, while Joselu carries the little one in his arms.

🤩 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢 |

"Who has scored two goals today?"

We accompany @JoseluMato9 in his dream debut.

The preview, the match, the celebration with their children, the locker room... this is a must see.#VamosEspaña |

#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/jnT7DHJ6eY

– Spanish Soccer Team (@SEFutbol) March 26, 2023

A source close to him says that the footballer is going through a phase of family happiness.

That is where a good part of the support is born that has helped him through years of frustrations in which the national team seemed something unattainable.

Although he did not despair.

He has maintained a striking enthusiasm, which contributed, for example, to his immediate appeal this summer when he arrived at Espanyol.

“He gets here and it's like he's starting all over again.

He has developed a very big bond with the club, to the point that he is second captain, ”says a team source.

"One more has been made since his arrival, and this is not so common in clubs that have an identity as forged over a slow fire as ours."

From the beginning he wanted to understand the fans, to know details of his history, such as where the old Sarriá field was located.

“I was surprised that people are very intense, and we have to try to reciprocate that,” he said.

He also came to the national team as if he were starting over.

“I am enjoying the experience as if I were 18″, he said a few days ago in an interview in this newspaper.

In the concentration he has also seduced with his work, his professionalism and his mood, calm, affectionate and playful.

Even his competitors, that kind of brotherhood of 9 flourished with De la Fuente.

Especially him, who made his debut and scored two goals in 4 minutes 15 seconds.

"It was a day that he had dreamed a lot, but in dreams it was not as perfect as this."

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