> ”I think everything starts with the number 7, because it’s my favorite number, and for the history that connects us. Throughout my life, I’ve worn it, whether in the youth categories at the academy or with the age-group national teams—so, the ability to take this step and wear it here with the senior team is a very special moment for me,” he told the media.
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> “There are icons like David Villa, Raúl, and Morata who wore the number 7 for the national team, and now to be able to wear it myself... it fills me with pride, and I hope to live up to the responsibility. The truth is, Morata is a special person to me, because he’s helped me a lot here with the national team, and for him to give me the ‘green light’“ to take it made me incredibly happy.”
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> ”It was something I’d thought about in advance, of course, because he’s the captain, and he’s been the owner of number 7 up until now, and it would have been disrespectful to take the number without informing him or reaching out to him—from the very first moment, he told me there was no problem at all, and that he was thrilled that it would be me taking it.
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> “I’ve worn number 20, and 18, and 11, and also 21... and now 7. I’ve gone through all the numbers in the youth categories, and fulfilling my dream of playing with the senior national team is something amazing.”