In the Men’s International Football realm, the summer of 2024 has been the summer of Spain.
First, they emerged victorious from the European Championships, beating an England side that included Madrid-based Jude Bellingham in the final.
Then, impressionable kids went on to replicate a senior squad which included the youngest player in Euros history, Lamine Yamal, who would celebrate his 17th birthday four days early by also taking the title of youngest goalscorer in Euros history when he netted in the semi-final versus France — as Spain subsequently claimed the U19 European Championship title.
Now, as we enter August, they’ve capped off the summer in style with Olympic Gold, the latest addition to an RFEF trophy cabinet that doesn’t want to cease its expansion at present.
One glory hunter took part in two of those three successes — 21-year-old Barcelona midfielder Fermín López, who played a minor role in the Euros before going on to make himself a far more significant presence at the Paris Olympics, as indispensable to the Spanish team as the iconic torch is to the Games themselves.
This tactical analysis and Fermín López scouting report will delve into the details of the young Barcelona midfielder’s game, highlighting why his off-the-ball strides into goal-scoring positions, intelligent carries, and relentless pressing were collectively crucial aspects of his national team’s tactics.
These helped ensure the host nation would have to settle for silver as Spain further cemented its dominance on the international stage.
Who Is Fermín López?
Born in the province of Huelva, Fermín López (176cm/5’9”, 68kg/150lbs) is a product of Barca’s famed youth academy, La Masía, having moved to the Catalan talent factory in 2016, as a U14, from Real Betis.
The Andalusian midfielder made his senior debut for Barcelona last season and accumulated 1,381 minutes of La Liga football during the 2023/24 campaign.
A few things that immediately jump out concerning his game are his 84th percentile rank in shots per 90, highlighting that he is a high-volume shooter, his pass accuracy in the 80th percentile, and his volume of defensive actions, with defensive duels per 90 and defensive positioning making up his two highest percentile ranks relative to other attacking midfielders from Europe’s top-five leagues in 2023/24.
Fermín López Heatmap
These two heatmaps bear a fairly striking resemblance in that both display López’s general preference for drifting off into the half-space — particularly the right half-space.
