Roberto Fernández to Spain: the moment he learned his call-up

Roberto Fernández has a date stamped in his memory: September 18, 2026 will be remembered as the day he earned a place with the Spain men’s senior team. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, the RCD Espanyol striker, aged 24, found out the news at home, surrounded by his partner Elena and his closest family.

The list, at 11:30

The announcement came around 11:30 when Luis de la Fuente unveiled the first squad after the Roja’s big moment in MetLife in New Jersey, where they added their second star. In that publication, Roberto was included among the 26 selected by the national coach.

According to the same source, the key phone call came through his agent Aitor Banda, whose mobile served as the “confirmation” for Roberto and his group. Mundo Deportivo adds that Roberto was one of four newcomers in the squad, making him Espanyol’s 49th international, the first since Joselu Mato was called up in March 2023.

The timing also matters: at the time the news broke, Espanyol were set to play Elche that night at the RCDE Stadium. While the club is focused on the match, Roberto’s season numbers were the backdrop to the call-up—Luis de la Fuente didn’t shy away from his views either, saying: “A mí no me gusta, prefería el formato anterior.”

Form and reward

Mundo Deportivo highlights his numbers leading into the selection: six goals in his team’s first six league matches. The article also frames his path at Espanyol: he joined Cornellà-El Prat in January 2025 without having debuted in LaLiga. After 612 days, 65 games and 19 goals, the childhood dream has just started—and now the next step is coming with Spain.