The battle between France and Spain on Tuesday night in the EURO 2024 semi-final will be special for many reasons. And one in particular – Aymeric Laporte.The 30-year-old Spain’s defender represented France in the youth categories before switching international allegiance to La Roja ahead of the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020 tournament. After representing Les Bleus at the youth level, he was called up for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Albania and Andorra but was forced to withdraw due to injury. Didier Deschamps never called him up again.Laporte, who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, is part of an all-Frenchn centre-back duo for Luis de La Fuente’s side, along with Real Sociedad’s Robin Le Normand. Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand has officially been called up to Spain for the upcoming Nations League games.He becomes the second Frenchman in recent history to switch allegiance to Spain, after Aymeric Laporte in 2021.Le Normand moved to Spain when he was 19. 🇪🇸🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/AfEx3z8LaL— Anthony (@AnthonyKyaw) June 3, 2023 When asked about Laporte, Deschamps wished him well but stressed that he wasn’t phased about his decision to represent Spain: “I’m not worried. He made his choice. Good luck to him; he must be happy with his choice, and that’s the important thing; there is another player who made this choice, too, because they had the option. There isn’t anything to regret; the important thing is that Aymeric can make the most of his situation, and I believe that to be the case,” concluded Deschamps.##NAJAVA_MECA_8200493##
