David Raya has gone from being at the European Championships cheering on Spain from the stands to lining up in goal for his country, a fantastic journey with a dream ending. In the last edition of the tournament, he was at Wembley and suffered watching the elimination of the national team in that penalty shoot-out against Italy. Now, in Germany, he is one of the 26 players chosen by Luis de la Fuente and he made his debut in a major tournament, starting against Albania.
"I have memories of watching the European Championships at home. But when Spain played against Italy at Wembley, I was able to get tickets to go with some friends and I went to the stadium. I was in the players’ family section and there I was watching and cheering for Spain," he says with a smile. "I went with a former team-mate, Joel Valencia, from Brentford, who is now in Poland. He had a lot of faith in my potential and told me: 'In a few years you'll be in the national team'. I told him I was doing everything I could and look what happened, I was called up that year.
The now Arsenal goalkeeper would then gain notoriety for his good performances in England and he got the call from the national team. "You can't imagine it, but that year was when we went up to the Premiership, where I had the chance to showcase my talent. It was in March of that year when I was called up by Luis Enrique. You don't think about it at the time, but I've always wanted to play for Spain and I've always taken positive steps towards my goal.
It is, for someone like him, the ultimate goal, the culmination of a career full of sacrifices and which had revolved around the figure of a very special person. "My grandfather (Joaquín), from a very young age, while my parents were working, was the one who picked me up after school, took me to training at Cornellá and many nights brought me back home after. There were many times that my father, whenever he could, would take the afternoon off from the family business. He would leave my mother or my older brother at work so that he could go and watch me train, but my grandfather helped me a lot, he has always supported me and he continues to support me from home". Grandfather Joaquín, by the way, is the one who announced Raya’s name in the video that was used in the squad announcement videos for the 26 Spanish players in Germany.
Raya has won the affection of all his team-mates, who are also infected by the confidence that the Catalan goalkeeper exudes. "More than arrogance, it's self-confidence, knowing what you have to do, being confident in what you are capable of doing. That helps you a lot, not only on the pitch but also off it. How you work, how you get up in the morning, always being in a good mood and being able to give your best both in training and in matches. But yes, I feel very confident. And that confidence makes you enjoy yourself even more.
And that self-confidence comes from the application of a law of psychology in which the mind is fundamental. "The law of attraction consists of having positive thoughts about things you want to achieve and, in some way, attracting them and making them possible. If you have positive thoughts and you don't do anything, it's not going to do you any good. It's a combination of keeping your mind clear, being positive and having some sort of goal, some short or long term dreams to keep thinking about and, above all, keep working towards.
It worked for him in Düsseldorf, a safe-as-houses performance against Albania to keep a clean sheet. "It was a well-rounded performance for the team, so to speak. We have not conceded a goal yet, which is a record for the national team in a group stage. And I'm super pleased with the work I did personally. The team was spectacular, it was a very difficult match. And, personally, the fact that the coach gave me my debut and I played the way I did makes me proud, makes me happy, makes me think that all the work I have done over the years is worth it.