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Fabián Ruiz interview: Nations League ambitions, Spain success and hometown tomatoes

"It's something no other team has achieved," Fabián Ruiz tells UEFA as Spain eye a title defence at the UEFA Nations League finals.

Fabián Ruiz: 'Success is all down to tomatoes'

A 2023 UEFA Nations League and UEFA EURO 2024 champion with Spain – and now a UEFA Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain – Fabián Ruiz is eager to add to his already glittering international résumé as the Nations League finals get under way.

Speaking to UEFA ahead of a semi-final meeting with France, the midfielder reflected on his journey in the competition so far, his desire to defend Spain's title and the power of his village's tomatoes.

Build-up to Spain vs France

On Nations League ambitions

We go into every match aiming to win and to give our best on the pitch. We know we can make history by winning the Nations League, the EURO and the Nations League [again], because it's something no other team has achieved yet.

We know we have the talent and we trust ourselves because we're doing well. It will be very difficult but we'll give our all to achieve it. As we always say, we're a family and we're always together. We could see that [against Netherlands] during the penalty shoot-out.

I'm very proud to represent my country and to be part of this family. I hope we'll achieve many more great things together.

Spain's road to the Nations League finals: Every goal

On hailing from Los Palacios y Villafranca, like Jesús Navas and Gavi

It's incredible that such a small village in Seville has produced three players that have represented the Spanish national team. That is unique – it has never happened before and we are happy to represent our town across all of Spain and across the whole world.

People say [our success] is because of the tomatoes, because we have great tomatoes. It's a really key part of our town. Every time we win a title, we're given our weight in tomatoes. In the end, I was given more tomatoes than Gavi and Jesús Navas because I weigh a bit more.

Fabián Ruiz, Jesús Navas and Gavi celebrate Spain's 2023 Nations League triumph
Fabián Ruiz, Jesús Navas and Gavi celebrate Spain's 2023 Nations League triumphANP via Getty Images

On his first steps in football

I used to go to the park to play with my older brother. He used to take me with him when I was three or four years old.

At first, people used to ask him, "Where are you going with your little brother? He's too small." But I gradually improved and when they saw me play, they wanted to play with me because they saw that I was a little boy who was good at football.

I kept growing and took my cousin and my sister with me too; we were a very close family that played together. I really grew up a lot in the street. I learned a lot [there] and then school taught me a lot, too.