Present and future: Gavi

Fact File

Full name: Pablo Páez Gavira

Date and place of birth: 05/08/2004 (Los Palacios y Villafranca, Spain)

Arrival at Barça: 2015, age 11. Made senior FC Barcelona debut six years later

Debut: 29 August 2021 against Getafe in La Liga as a 74th minute substitute for Martin Braithwaite

Talented, bold and attack-minded

Gavi is an extraordinarily skilful footballer, and extremely fit too. He is great at breaking through from midfield and creating pressure when the opposition has the ball. He’s a daring player, who always has a surprise up his sleeve. And despite his young age, he is already an essential component of the Barça squad.

Youngest ever Spain international

It’s not just at Barça where he has had an impact at a young age. On 6 October 2021, Gavi made his full international debut for Spain aged just 17 years and 62 days, making his the country’s youngest ever debutant. Luis Enrique played him in the 2-1 victory over Italy in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League, where his job was to mark none other than one of his childhood heroes Marco Verratti.