Neither Yamal nor Williams. Spain’s biggest Euro surprise trains opposition midfielders

A well-deserved finalist who is putting in a great performance at the Euro. Spain’s dominant play as one of the few selections in the tournament has entertained most European Championship spectators, thanks in part to a skilful midfielder alongside Rodri.

Lamine Yamal is unbelievable for a 16 year old, Nico Williams’ tackles would sweep the legs of the best defenders in history. But the success or failure of the Spanish national team has always been based on the performance of the central midfielders.

Since the end of the Andres Iniesta era with Xavi Hernandez, the Spanish midfield has lacked quality and has disappointed in the last four major tournaments in terms of play and results. A similar predicament loomed this year, but coach Luis de la Fuente pulled off an unexpected ace.

Pedri, a midfielder with much more media attention, was injured in the quarter-finals, but even then he was clearly in Ruiz’s shadow. How much of an unexpected mainstay is the PSG midfielder? The fact that he didn’t feature at all in five of Spain’s last ten games before the tournament indicates that.

The tall but agile

At first glance, the unconventional Spanish number eight shines alongside the always brilliant Rodri. At 28, Fabián Ruiz is clearly having the tournament of his life, tormenting opponents with his movement in the centre of midfield despite standing 189 centimetres tall. His slalom against Germany will be one of the highlights of the tournament.

In addition, Ruiz can use his height positively in standard situations, and has struck twice in the tournament in addition to two assists. He is the most productive of the central midfielders at the Euros, and he may also be the best to watch.

He hasn’t played much at PSG

After all, Ruiz hasn’t been a leader on the club scene either. He has only racked up just under 1,200 minutes played in Ligue 1 this season and hasn’t put in nearly as good a performance as graced him during his previous engagement in Naples. In any case, the summer found him in a completely different mood.

According to Sofascore, Ruiz is the second best player of the tournament with an average rating of 8.02. If Spain make it through the final on Sunday victorious, he has a great chance to become the best midfielder of the entire European Championship.

Source: Euro 2024, Sofascore