The Lille winger, born in Belgium to a Spanish father and an Italian mother, rejected four calls from the Spanish U-21 national team before opting for Belgium. This Friday he faces Spain in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
Matías Fernández-Pardo, 21, is back in the news. The Lille winger faces Spain this Friday in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, the country he turned down on four occasions. Born in Brussels to a Spanish father and an Italian mother, the player ultimately chose Belgium, his country of birth, for the senior team.
However, his relationship with Spain was not always one of rejection. In December 2024, in an interview with Marca, he stated:
“My heart is always with Spain. I want to play for Spain. If they want me, there’s no doubt.”
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) processed his documentation in February 2025. Santi Denia, then U-21 coach, called him up. Fernández-Pardo did not attend, citing a muscle injury. But during the break, he played normally for Lille, which raised suspicions. Denia included him in the preliminary list for the U-21 European Championship, but he was one of the two final cuts.
Four calls, four absences
In September 2025, Paco Gallardo called him up for the U-20 World Cup. Lille did not allow him to attend, according to the official version. In October, David Gordo called him up for the U-21 team. This time there was no injury: he simply did not show up. It was the fourth time he had avoided Spain.
The player then raised the stakes: either the senior team or nothing. In November 2025, Rudi García called him up for the senior Belgium team. Fernández-Pardo accepted and, when asked, stated:
“I never said I wanted to play for Spain.”The RFEF expressed perplexity at a turn that contradicted his own words from months earlier.
His participation in the World Cup has been minimal. He has played 4 minutes against Egypt, 3 against Iran, and 34 against New Zealand. In the knockout rounds, not a single minute: neither against Senegal nor against the United States. This Friday, against Spain, he could have his opportunity.
A match with history and intrigue
The quarter-final match pits the current European champion, Spain, against a Belgium team looking to break into the world's top four. For Spain, it represents the chance to return to the semi-finals 16 years later, having eliminated Portugal in the round of 16.
For the player, it is a personal duel. “It’s a privilege that they have shown interest in me,” he said at the time. Now, he faces the country he could have represented. Spanish fans will remember his words from 2024 and his subsequent snub. The intrigue is palpable.
The match takes place this Friday at the Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal, at 21:00 local time. The winner will advance to the semi-finals. The loser will go home. For Fernández-Pardo, it is the opportunity to show on the pitch what he could not do in their colours.
You may also like
