Matías Fernández-Pardo, a Belgian with Spanish roots, rejected calls from Spain before the World Cup duel By Thiago Lemos
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Just two months ago, Matías Fernández-Pardo’s fate on the international football scene was sealed. The 21-year-old striker chose to represent Belgium in their first participation in a World Cup, frustrating the plans of Spain, which was counting on the player and had four call-ups rejected by him.
This saga involving the talented athlete from Lille, France, adds a special flavor to the clash between the two countries for the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The match is scheduled for next Friday, at 4pm (Brasília time), and will take place in Los Angeles.
Born in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, but with a father of Spanish nationality, Matías will experience a peculiar situation on the field, with the support of one fan and the discontent of another. His participation in coach Rudi Garcia’s team has been as a substitute, but he has already played in three of Belgium’s five matches so far. This scenario of players with dual nationality is increasingly common in European football, transforming the competition for talent into a complex strategic challenge for federations.
Fernández-Pardo has always stood out in the youth categories of European football, defending the colors of the Belgian national team from under-11 to under-19. However, in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca in 2024, he expressed his strong desire to play for the Spanish national team.
“I want to play for Spain, without a doubt. If there is interest, I won’t hesitate. I know the competition is great, but I appreciate the challenges”, declared Matías at the time, highlighting his initial inclination.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation began the process to regularize the striker’s situation, allowing him to exchange from Belgium to Spain. As of February 2025, the documentation is in order. A month later, the young man was called up to the under-21 team, but claimed a muscle injury and did not perform, although days later he played for Lille in the French League.
Three other call-up attempts were made by Spain, including calls for the under-21 European Championship, the under-20 World Cup and under-21 friendlies. On each occasion, Matías ended up being recalled for different reasons.
Even in the face of refusals, the head coach of the Spanish national team, Luis de la Fuente, still considered Matías to fill needs in the attack and had the expectation of including him in the list for the World Cup. However, the coach only gave up on the idea when, last May, the Belgian Football Federation officially announced that Fernández-Pardo would return to wearing the shirt of his home country, confirming his decision.
