How Laporte became Spanish after Luis Enrique's call
Aymeric Laporte became Spanish after a March 2021 call from then-Spain coach Luis Enrique, who offered naturalization and a path to Euro 2021. The Agen-born defender, never capped for France despite Bleus call-ups, now has 53 Spain caps, Euro 2024 glory, and a World Cup final berth.
Key Takeaways
- Laporte switched after Luis Enrique phoned him at home in Manchester in March 2021.
- Didier Deschamps called him up for France but never gave him a minute, leaving Spain eligibility open.
- Naturalized in 2021, Laporte has 53 Spain caps and won Euro 2024 plus the 2023 Nations League.
- He faces Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final after Spain beat France in the semis.
The story of Laporte is not a quiet paperwork switch. It is a French talent forged at Athletic Bilbao, sidelined by Les Bleus, then claimed by Spain—and now one win from a World Cup title. For more viral explainers across our beats, see Future Tech & AI Wonders.
How did Laporte become eligible for Spain?
Born in Agen in 1994, Laporte left France as a teenager for Athletic Bilbao after Bordeaux and Toulouse passed. He arrived at 15 speaking no Castilian, trained at Lezama, and debuted under Marcelo Bielsa at 18. Basque roots through a grandparent helped the club fit; eight years in Bilbao built the residency case.
In March 2021, over dinner in Manchester with his wife Sara and friend Iban Markitz, his phone rang. It was Luis Enrique. Spain's then-coach wanted him for the coming Euro and said naturalization was possible. Markitz later called that call life-changing. Spain's consulate in Manchester even reopened on a Sunday to finish the paperwork before Euro 2021.
As France 24 reports, Laporte told FIFA critics of the switch that he had no doubt after talking with family—and that many youth teammates also later played for other countries with far less noise.
Why did France never lock him in?
Laporte starred for France's U17 and U19 sides and captained the Espoirs. Deschamps called him into the senior squad from 2016 but never put him on the pitch across those convocations. A later recall for Euro 2020 qualifiers ended when Laporte got injured. Ten seconds of Bleus action would have blocked a Spain move; Deschamps later said he had not wanted to trap him without playing him.
Without minutes for France, the door to Spain stayed open. Enrique walked through it. Laporte has said he felt valued by a country that was not his birthplace—and that he had to give Spain "120 percent."
What has Laporte won with La Roja?
The bet paid off. In 53 caps, Laporte helped Spain win the 2023 Nations League and Euro 2024. After City (2018–2023) and Al-Nassr (2023–2025), he returned to Athletic Bilbao. On 14 July 2026, Spain knocked France out in the World Cup semi-finals; Laporte now faces Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium.
From Bilbao dorms to a coach's cold call, Laporte's Spanish chapter is the product of patience, paperwork, and a France career that never quite started.