Zubimendi, National Team genius

“It started as a hobby with my friends. Maybe I was a little better than them, so I kept going until that victory came,” explained Martín Zubimendi. The victory he refers to is winning the Gipuzkoa chess championships in the under-12 category at the age of eleven.

The European champion recalls that he first got into chess through his school’s extracurricular activities program, and he became so hooked that he continued playing for several years—although now he rarely practices. “At the Olympics, Unai Simón was relentless, always asking me to play every day, until I got tired of losing. I can also play with Dani Olmo,” joked the midfielder.

Regarding the similarities between chess and football, Zubimendi pointed out: “It’s a game that requires you to have everything under control. In both sports, the midfield is crucial because it defines the style of play.”

“Luis has always trusted me. Now I’m getting more playing time, and I’m really enjoying it,” he said about the national team coach.

Ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, Martín Zubimendi had words of praise for Spain’s opponents: “The Netherlands is not just another team.”