Bardo Chooses Belgium After Rejecting Spain 4 Times

The young forward Matias Fernandez-Bardo chose to represent the Belgian national team in the 2026 World Cup, despite holding Spanish and Italian citizenships in addition to Belgian.

The 21-year-old player, who plays for French club Lille, was born in Brussels and chose to play for Belgium after declining to join Spain's under-21 team on four occasions.

Fernandez-Bardo emphasized that the decision was not easy, noting his emotional connection to both Belgium and Spain. He said, "Choosing Belgium was not easy because I feel a deep connection with both Belgium and Spain." The player had represented Belgium's youth teams from under-15 to under-19 levels.

The young striker received clear support from his teammates at Lille, Thomas Meunier and Nathan Ngoy, along with the Belgian national team coach Rudi Garcia and the sporting director Vincent Mannaert, who played a significant role in convincing him of the national team's sports project.

Fernandez-Bardo is regarded as one of the most promising emerging attacking talents in Belgian football, especially after his remarkable development with Lille this season. This prompted the Belgian coaching staff to give him the opportunity to appear on the international stage before the World Cup.