The convincing debut of Unai Simón or how to get out of so many risks with your feet

"Good, Unai!"

Was

heard in the

band

as hearts sank on the other side of the television.

It was surprising to see how the debutant

, so used to the instruction not to complicate his life that he receives every day at Athletic, played the ball with his feet as if error were not an option.

It did not matter how close he was to a rival, the Alava goalkeeper slowed down, sweated cold blood gushing and passed it, low or low depending on the situation, to the midfielder who was free of mark there in the distance.

The balance between temperance and recklessness that drew his bravery with the ball was unbalanced by

with his approving thumb up from the band.

And the boy thus saw a confidence that had been damaged on Sunday, after a slip when he was going to play the ball led to the penalty of the first of the two goals that Valladolid scored against the suffering Athletic.

But in Amsterdam, in his first meeting with Spain, he pretended to be

.

The important thing, both he and Luis Enrique will think, is that he inaugurated his international career without blemish, reinforcing his condition as the third goalkeeper of the national team while waiting for what happens in the future with

.

It was a day for testing and also to see footballers pulling records that are not usually displayed in their clubs.

There was also the example of

, again opposing the eternally vacant position of the team's starting striker.

It took him a minute and 15 seconds to set up his first shot of the game, a kick from the edge of the area that bounced off a Dutch defender and went for a corner.

But it was not going to be the shot but the pass that was going to brighten his game back to the national team.

Six matches later

A priori, Morata is not a forward who fits too much in the style of this team led by Luis Enrique.

The Juventus man is a specialist in breaking out and attacking the space to define, hence that indisputable -and excessive- tendency to fall offside that has even occasionally become a source of mockery, as in his triplet annulled against Barça two weeks ago in Champions.

From the forward of Spain, at least from this Spain, other virtues are expected, that he is able to associate with the midfielders in the elaboration of the ball and that he be a point of support for the incorporation of the outside footballers into the center.

And that also scores goals, of course.

That task is still pending, six games after Luis Enrique took back the reins of the national team.

Morata is not that forward, but last night he made an effort to show that he could be.

Because after that first shot, what the Madrid striker dedicated himself to is practicing almost as a playmaker, not playing facing the goal, but with his back.

Received and returned.

Or he received, turned around and drove to seek new support.

And that's how Spain's first goal came, the work of

, with Morata acting as an assistant from behind instead of as a finisher from the front.

In the absence of a goal, the assistance is good.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• Luis Enrique

• Ter Stegen

• Alvaro Morata

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• Spain Soccer Team

• Holland National Soccer Team

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