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Just three days before Spain’s European Championship quarter-final against tournament hosts Germany, Aymeric Laporte is feeling self-assured.
The 30-year-old defender has been a prominent presence in all but one of his team’s four matches, aiding them in reaching the quarter-finals while allowing just one goal. Luis de la Fuente’s squad has stood out as the most impressive side in the competition, and Laporte has been instrumental with his defensive reliability and skillful passing from the back.
However, when Laporte initially arrived at Spain’s training base in Donaueschingen, doubts were cast over the former Manchester City player. Barcelona’s 17-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi was initially dropped from Spain’s tournament squad, which disappointed many fans, while Real Madrid’s Nacho had ended the season on a high note.
Laporte had spent the season playing in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League with Al Nassr and was unable to participate in the opening group match against Croatia, raising concerns about his physical fitness. The decision to bring him to Germany had been questioned by some, speculating that he might not be ready.
“I was irritated when I heard about the doubts,” Laporte expresses. “Primarily because they were based on mere speculation, without any factual basis.
“They insinuated that my injury was due to lack of fitness, but they were not aware that I had been training with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia until May 30. Following that, I returned to Bilbao with my family, where I trained diligently on my own to ensure I was in optimal condition to join the team here.
“I left my family, including my newborn born in May, back home in Bilbao to train on my own, and I did it gladly because I was eager to be here.
“Yet, all I had to endure all day was hearsay that I wasn’t prepared to be here. That can be quite disheartening.”
Laporte was among several top-tier European players who made the move to the Saudi Pro League last summer after the country’s Public Investment Fund acquired four clubs. He joined Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr in the capital Riyadh for €27 million ($29m; £23m) after five successful years at Manchester City.
During that season, he participated in 39 matches across all competitions, scoring four goals. However, Al Nassr fell short in their bid for the league title, finishing as runners-up 14 points behind city rivals Al Hilal and also losing the King’s Cup final — the Saudi equivalent of the FA Cup — to them on penalties.
Laporte joined Al Nassr last summer (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Players who joined the Pro League have faced criticism for competing in a country with a record of human rights violations that has drawn condemnation from Amnesty International and other organizations.
Despite significant investment, doubts linger over the quality of football being played.
“Just because we played there doesn’t make us mediocre players, and my skills didn’t evaporate overnight,” Laporte asserts.
“In my case, I can assure you that I push myself to the limit and train with the same fervor in Saudi Arabia as I did in Europe. I aim to be in top form to earn a spot in the Spanish squad because this has been the most joyful period of my football career in the past eight years.
“I acknowledge that there were doubts when I moved to Al Nassr. The Saudi Pro League may not be one of the most prominent leagues globally at the moment. However, with new acquisitions and players joining, it is poised to grow and gain prominence.
“The pace of competition may be slightly different, except in matches against top teams, where I’d say it is equally intense. Those are high-stakes games.”
De la Fuente finalized Spain’s Euro squad in late May, and all players convened on June 1, except for Dani Carvajal, Nacho, and Joselu, who were preparing for the day’s Champions League final with Real Madrid. Laporte was also absent as the King’s Cup final took place in Jeddah the day before.
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He mentioned that he was criticized for arriving later than others. However, he did so based on the instructions from the coaching staff and eventually stopped paying much attention to the criticism as it came from uninformed sources.
Before a crucial game against Croatia in Berlin, De la Fuente publicly praised Laporte, referring to him as one of the best in the world in his position. Laporte appreciated the support, stating that feeling protected like that is vital for a player. This boost of confidence allowed Laporte to play freely and exhibit his best performance. Perhaps, De la Fuente’s exceptional man-management skills played a key role in this.
Having switched his international allegiance from France to Spain, Laporte found himself in the spotlight. Despite having represented France at the youth level, he never got the chance to make his senior debut. Several call-ups from the French team went unfulfilled, with the final attempt interrupted by a knee injury. This event led Laporte to consider playing for Spain, meeting the eligibility criteria set by FIFA after living in Spain for over five years.
France manager Didier Deschamps had expressed interest in Laporte multiple times but never fielded him. This lack of opportunity, coupled with an injury setback, prompted Laporte to explore the option of playing for Spain. The Spanish Federation facilitated his switch, and he made his debut for Spain just in time for Euro 2020.
Since his transition to the Spanish national team, Laporte has earned 32 caps and harbors no regrets about his decision. He feels more connected to the Spanish team’s values and culture, especially considering his ties to the country through his family.
The success of Laporte’s switch inspired the Spanish Federation to repeat the process with Real Sociedad‘s Robin Le Normand. Le Normand, originally from France, now forms a solid central defensive partnership with Laporte for Spain.
French-born duo Laporte and Le Normand, right, are now Spain’s starting centre-backs (Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
He stated that they complement each other well on the field and communicate in Spanish, switching to French only when they want to maintain secrecy from the rest of the squad.
In summary, Laporte’s journey from France to Spain has been a remarkable one, showcasing his dedication to the Spanish national team and his integration into Spanish culture and values.
At the tournament, Laporte attributes Spain’s impressive defensive record to the team’s collective effort. He emphasizes the importance of minimizing mistakes and acknowledges the contributions of his teammates, including Morata’s high pressing upfront. Laporte takes pride in being vocal on the field, a role he embraces more comfortably now compared to his early days at City.
In a recent match against Georgia, Laporte stood out with six defensive interventions and a perfect record in duels. He also played a crucial role in building up play, as illustrated by his passing map that demonstrates his inclination towards the left wing. Laporte had the second-highest number of touches and completed the most passes with a remarkable 98% accuracy rate.
As Spain gears up to face Germany, Laporte recognizes the challenge ahead but remains confident in his team’s abilities. He praises the young talents of Yamal and Williams, highlighting their exceptional skills and expressing hope for their future success with the national team.
Despite being a seasoned player compared to Yamal, Laporte admires the youngster’s carefree approach to the game. He mentions the evolving dynamics of mentoring and guiding younger players like Yamal, stressing the importance of nurturing and supporting them as they mature both on and off the field.
Looking ahead to the quarter-final against former teammates Sane and Gundogan, Laporte lauds Gundogan’s abilities as one of the best he has played with in his position. He draws parallels between Gundogan and former teammate David Silva, emphasizing their prowess in controlling and dictating the game’s tempo.
In summary, Laporte’s insights shed light on Spain’s defensive strength, the promising young talents in the squad, and the challenges and praises leading up to the crucial match against Germany.
Laporte and Gundogan in action for City in 2018 (Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
“I would highlight (winger Jamal) Musiala as well. He is a different player, a sort of dribbler like Lamine. The times I’ve played against him, I could see on the pitch he has sparks that show you he’s different class. Germany is a super team overall, I don’t want to forget about (Toni) Kroos, (Antonio) Rudiger or other names, but I would say the individuals in their front line stand out for sure.”
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Spain is considered favorites for this match by some, surprising those who underestimated them before the tournament — but not for Laporte.
“I am not surprised we were ignored at the start of this Euros,” he says. “In the last Euros, it was even worse, no one considered us as candidates to win the trophy and when we reached the semi-finals, it looked like we overachieved massively. The only thing that changes by being favorites is how much the media talks or makes assessments after the competition. In our heads, the focus remains the same.”
This approach has made Spain the best team of Euro 2024 so far and is one of the main reasons tonight’s game against a fine Germany side could be one for the ages.
(Top photo: Pablo Garcia/RFEF; design by Eamonn Dalton)
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