Alejandro Balde is making the most of the World Cup experience. The left-back, who joined the national team to replace José Luis Gayà after his unfortunate injury in Jordan, had never been in a national team stage before and his debut could not have been on a better occasion.

In Qatar, Balde wore the Spain jersey for the first time, and he has played in the two group matches so far. For that reason, for his debut in the match against Costa Rica, he received the badge that certifies him as an international on Wednesday.

Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Federation, awarded the distinction to the Catalan defender, who is doing a great job in this season. He is 19 years old and he is already a left-back with a great present and a better future. Rubiales recognised his progression and awarded him a very special badge in the presence of his teammates and technical staff.