Cwith five goals during qualifying Abel Ruiz (Almussafes, Valencia, 2000) will be the top scorer of the players who jump to the green today in Melilla. Without Sergio Gomez Due to the Catalan’s injury, the striker faces the last game of a season that he will not forget. He started it debuting under the command of Luis Enrique and ends it with the pass to the next European under 21 in the pocket. He already knows what it’s like to lift the sub 17 and sub 19, he wants to repeat next year.
Ask. They face the last match of the qualifying phase and have touched perfection. They have scored 30 goals in seven games.
Response. We are having a very good qualifying phase and now we are finishing very well. The last call went very well and we managed to qualify. Now we can enjoy and win. The most important thing was to win both games. We got the first and now we have to do it in the second. Thus we will make a full of victories.
They say that this concentration does not come at the best time.
Coming to the selection is incredible, it is an unforgettable experience for everyone. Whether you’ve been coming for five years or you’re coming for the first time, it’s incredible to come here and share moments with colleagues who are impressive.
In seven games he has five goals and four assists.
Whenever I come to the National Team I try to help with what I know, which is to score goals and provide assists. I’m enjoying it a lot, there’s an incredible group and I enjoy a lot with my teammates.
He is one of the veterans of the team. Has the group changed a lot since his generation arrived?
For those of the generation of 2000 that we were last year it is different, now we are the oldest. We are a generation that has achieved the European under 17 and under 19 and we were runners-up in the world. Now it is another group, perhaps now we feel more comfortable because we are the group that we have always had during our time in the national team. Last year we had a very good European Championship, we fell in the semifinals against a great Portugal, but I think we deserved more and could have done more.
The Generation of 2000 is the pretty girl of Spanish football.
We have a great experience with this generation. Everything we’ve played we’ve either won or reached the final. We have a very good baggage. Being champions with the under 17s and under 19s, then champions in the Mediterranean Games and runners-up in the world is not easy. Hopefully we can close this cycle before winning the sub 21, it would be incredible.
“I would like to return to Spain, but we have to look for a good opportunity”
Finish a campaign that began in the absolute.
It was a great experience. That Luis Enrique trusted me is incredible and I hope he can come back. I work every day for that and I will continue fighting to be there. It is a dream since childhood.
In addition to you, Bryan, Guillamón, Eric or Yeremi have been the youngsters who have debuted with the senior team, do you see yourself closer?
It is true that with the arrival of Luis Enrique there is more trust in young people and it shows. The absolute is full of youth and with a fairly low average age, something that motivates those of us who came from below. Here in the U21 there are people who have been able to enjoy the absolute and I hope we can have more opportunities.
Luis Enrique said that he asks his tips for work in defense, do you see yourself with those qualities?
I think that one of the reasons why he took me to the national team was because of my work in defense, because in my club I have that role as well. I try not to let the center-backs think and put pressure on everything that is ahead of me. It was one of the things that helped me to reach the absolute.
For those who have him off the radar, how do you define yourself as a player?
I am a striker who likes to score goals but I also like to make the team play. I try to make my teammates play. I love giving assists or passes that can end in a goal. Team play is one of my strengths and it is what I enjoy. I am a complete striker who can do anything.
Are there options to return to Spain soon?
There is always that option every time the market opens. I would like to return to Spain, but we have to look for a good opportunity. I am very happy in Braga, I have always said so. If there is a better option, I will leave and if there is not, then I will stay because I am very happy there. Braga is a club that has given me a lot and I have to give it back too.
