Carlos Espí scores five with Spain's U-21s and earns first senior call-up

Five goals in a single match. With the national team. And just turned 21. What Carlos Espí did in San Marino is not just another line on a stat sheet: it's the reason why, overnight, the Real Madrid forward has gone from the under-21s to the senior squad.

Luis de la Fuente has called him up to replace Ferran Torres, who is sidelined for the final two matches of this UEFA Nations League window against the Czech Republic and Croatia because of discomfort in his left ankle. The PSG forward had been carrying that discomfort for some time without it keeping him from training or playing, but the persistence of the symptoms led the head coach to prioritize his recovery and send him home, according to a statement released Friday by the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

The federation's statement details that its medical staff have been in constant contact with Torres's club medical team "since the start of the camp," handling the process jointly. This is not the first absence from the squad: Torres becomes the fifth player to withdraw for physical reasons since De la Fuente named his initial squad on September 18. Before him, Pedro Porro (replaced by Iván Fresneda), Eric García (replaced by Robin Le Normand) and Alejandro Grimaldo (replaced by Real Betis fullback Fran García) had all pulled out. Athletic Club winger Nico Williams also withdrew, though in that case the coach chose not to call in a replacement.

With Torres, the story is different: De la Fuente did want to fill the gap, and he did so by rewarding the run of form Espí is currently enjoying.

A starting debut to remember

It all traces back to Thursday. In his first start with the under-21s, the Valencian striker scored five goals in Spain's 13-0 rout of San Marino. No player had ever scored five in a match for the Rojita before. Espí, who joined Real Madrid this season from Levante, had already turned heads with the first team: two goals that delivered wins over Espanyol and Elche. Add in the San Marino performance, and the forward's turnaround has been, in his own words, total.

I never imagined scoring five goals with Spain. It's inexplicable, something very special, and I'm really happy. I'm not even aware of what I'm doing. Five goals with the under-21s is unbelievable. I'm very happy and we're going for more.Carlos Espí

The player himself admits he's still struggling to process the leap he's made in just a few months, from playing at Levante to wearing Real Madrid's jersey and now joining the senior national team: "My life has changed completely from one summer to the next. You have to look forward, it's been a really good start to the season," he said in comments released by the federation before his call-up to the senior side was announced.

The performance against San Marino carried extra meaning for him: it was the first time he'd scored more than two goals in a single match. "I really wanted to take home my first match ball, it's something very special," the forward added. The first thing he did after the final whistle was send his family and friends a photo of that ball.