Cesar Azpilicueta has been left stunned by the confidence of Spain’s “new generation”, with Gavi running around “kicking people” on his senior debut.

La Roja putting faith in youthTeenagers playing with no fearWorld Cup glory being pursued

WHAT HAPPENED? Said outing was taken in by the Barcelona starlet when he was just 17 years of age, becoming the youngest player to earn a full cap for La Roja in the process. Gavi is now gracing a World Cup stage with his country at Qatar 2022, with an exciting crop of young talent proving to more established stars that nothing fazes them.

WHAT THEY SAID: Chelsea defender Azpilicueta, who formed part of Luis Enrique’s plans when Gavi made his bow against Italy in October 2021, has told The Guardian: “This is a new generation. There are times you help but the kids now have such confidence. Take Gavi’s debut. They were telling me: ‘Keep him calm.’ What do you mean, ‘Keep him calm’? Normally you have to get them going, push them. No, no, not him: there he was kicking people. I was like: there’s no way I could have done that at 17.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Gavi is already up to 16 appearances for Spain and continues to catch the eye for club and country, with a new long-term contract signed at Camp Nou back in September seeing a €1 billion (£866m/$1bn) release clause included in it.

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WHAT NEXT? Gavi’s focus for now, along with that of Azpilicueta, is locked on international matters as Spain ready themselves for a last-16 showdown with Morocco on Tuesday at the 2022 World Cup.