Fornals: “Every minute with the national team is pure glory”

For Pablo Fornals, the call-up from Luis de la Fuente for Spain’s two fixtures this November is a well-deserved reward for the consistent work he has been putting in with his club.

Fornals (born February 22, 1996, in Castellón de la Plana) learned about his selection during a Real Betis training session. The news sparked an outburst of joy — both from the Spanish international himself and from his teammates, who immediately joined in to celebrate the announcement.

“Every minute with the national team is pure glory,” said Fornals.

The Betis midfielder made his debut with the senior national team in May 2016 while playing for Málaga CF, under the management of Vicente del Bosque. Later, in 2018, he returned to the Spain setup under Luis Enrique, this time as a Villarreal CF player. Today, November 11, 2025, marks exactly four years since his last of six appearances for Spain — against Greece in 2021.

That previous call-up coincided with the birth of his first son, Martín. Four years later, the long-awaited return comes at another special moment in his life, following the arrival of his second child, Mateo.

Fornals and Luis de la Fuente share a long-standing connection, dating back to 2018, when the coach included him in the U21 squad that went on to win the European Championship in Udine a year later.

Spain now stands on the verge of securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup, to be held next summer in North America. Luis de la Fuente’s team will face Georgia on Saturday, November 15, before concluding their qualifying campaign in Seville on Tuesday, November 18 — a city Pablo Fornals knows very well — in a decisive match against Turkey.