Nolito Can Be Spain's Secret Weapon in Pursuit of Euro 2016 Glory

Prior to Spain’s 6-1 trouncing of South Korea on Wednesday, the Taegeuk Warriors had gone 891 minutes without conceding a goal. Of course, the meeting with Spain was always going to pose a significant threat for South Korea, but they were blown away when the two teams met in midweek. Vicente Del Bosque’s side netted six goals in the space of 59 minutes at the Red Bull Arena as they stepped up their preparations for Euro 2016. 

Spain are out to defend their European Championship crown and make up for a wholly disappointing showing at the 2014 World Cup. Their exemplary showing in the midweek victory suggests La Furia Roja are approaching Euro 2016 in the ideal form to reclaim their title as Europe’s best international team. Such a fine offensive showing will have enthused Del Bosque in their pursuit of international glory once more. 

The plaudits were thrust in the direction of David Silva, Alvaro Morata and Nolito and deservedly so. The trio between them scored five of Spain’s six goals against South Korea. A close eye in particular will be kept on Morata this summer and for good reason as the striker has been strongly linked with a move away from Juventus during the transfer window. Real Madrid are expected to exercise a buy-back clause inserted into the 23-year-old’s contract, with the possibility of selling him on for a higher fee. 

Yet it was the performance of Nolito that caught the eye on Wednesday. The experienced wide man was Celta Vigo’s star man, gaining a better WhoScored rating (7.44) than any other player for the La Liga side last season. He was rewarded for his fine form in Spain’s top tier with a place in Del Bosque’s squad for Euro 2016 and while unlikely to start in France this summer - that in turn is no bad thing given the raft of attacking talent available to the Spain boss - but he’s indeed a handy option for the 65-year-old. 

While Nolito has just four goals to his name for Spain, those have come in his last two appearances against Bosnia-Herzegovina and South Korea. Indeed, the wideman is coming into the European Championship in fine form. 12 goals and a further seven assists was a commendable return for the 29-year-old winger, who is certainly showing signs that he can transfer his club form to country. 

Importantly, though, is that Nolito could well be considered Del Bosque’s secret weapon this summer. As mentioned, Nolito - regardless of club form - is not expected to start for Spain. Del Bosque is loyal to his favoured players, meaning Nolito - despite his performances - can be expected to start games from the bench. However, as he is not necessarily a household name outside of Spain, this works in Spain’s quest to land the European Championship. 

As games wear on and opposition defences tire, the need for a direct attacking threat from wide areas to put opponents to the sword is essential. Cutting in from the left flank to utilise his wicked right foot, the directness Nolito offers from the wing can help break down a tiring or staunch backline. An average of two successful dribbles per game ranked among the top 10 players in La Liga last season and reinforces his statistically calculated style of play of ‘likes to dribble’. 

2.1 key passes per game also ranked among the top 10 players in Spain’s top tier last term. As proven time and time again for Celta Vigo last season, Nolito isn’t just a player who dribbles for the sake of dribbling, with the experienced attacker boasting a fine end product to match his ability to run with the ball. Only Lionel Messi (34) played more accurate through balls than Nolito (14) in La Liga last season, further denoting his creative qualities. 

It’s his decision making in the final third and keen eye for a defence splitting pass that means Spain stand in good stead to become the first nation to win three successive European Championships. With the offensive options available to Del Bosque, and his attacking options readily on the move, Nolito’s vision has the potential to wreak havoc at Euro 2016. While last season was hardly the player’s most prolific, he was still one of La Liga’s best performers, winning nine WhoScored man of the match awards; only Messi (13) gained more. Despite a lack of international experience, Nolito has the potential to be one of stars of the tournament.