Ansu Fati

Anssumane "Ansu" Fati Vieira (born 31 October 2002) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Barcelona and the Spain national team. He was born in Guinea-Bissau but represents Spain internationally.[3] He is widely considered one of Spain's most exciting football talents, and one of the best young players in the world.[4][5][6]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fati and the second or maternal family name is Vieira.
Ansu Fati
Personal information
Full name Anssumane Fati Vieira[1]
Date of birth (2002-10-31) 31 October 2002
Place of birth Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Barcelona
Number 22
Youth career
2009–2010 Herrera
2010–2012 Sevilla
2012–2020 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019– Barcelona 31 (11)
National team‡
2019– Spain U21 2 (0)
2020– Spain 4 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 06:56, 7 November 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 October 2020 (UTC)

Early and personal life

Born in Guinea-Bissau, Fati moved to Herrera, Seville, with his family at the age of six, when his older brother Braima signed for Sevilla.[7] His other brother Miguel is also a footballer.[8]

His father is ex-footballer Bori Fati, who was from Guinea-Bissau. After emigrating to Portugal, he set up some teams in the lower leagues. There, he moved to Marinaleda, a small town located near Seville, that was offering work to immigrants. After struggling financially in Marinaleda, he met the mayor Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo and found a job as a driver. He then settled in the nearby town of Herrera, where Ansu spent most of his childhood and started his football training. Though born in Guinea-Bissau, Bori has said he is "a Sevillian".[9][10]

Club career

Early career

After representing local side Herrera and the youth teams of Sevilla, he joined Barcelona's La Masia in 2012, aged ten,[11][12] a year after his brother had made the same move.[13]

2019–20 season

On 24 July 2019, Fati signed his first professional contract with Barcelona, agreeing to a deal until 2022.[14] On 25 August, before even appearing with the reserves, Fati made his first team – and La Liga – debut, coming on as a late-game substitute for goalscorer Carles Pérez in a 5–2 home win over Real Betis.[15] Aged 16 years and 298 days, he became the second-youngest player to debut for the club, only 18 days older than Vicenç Martínez in 1941.[16]

On 31 August 2019, he scored his first professional goal in a 2–2 away draw between Barcelona and Osasuna at the age of 16 years and 304 days, becoming the Barcelona senior team's youngest goalscorer ever and the third-youngest scorer in the history of La Liga.[17]

On 14 September 2019, in his first career start, Fati became the youngest player in the history of La Liga to score and assist in the same match, at the age of 16 years and 318 days. Fati scored a goal in the 2nd minute which was assisted by Frenkie de Jong and later assisted Frenkie de Jong's goal in the 7th minute of an eventual 5–2 home win against Valencia.[18][19]

On 17 September, Fati made his Champions League debut in a 0–0 away draw against Borussia Dortmund, becoming the youngest player to feature for Barcelona in the competition at the age of 16 years and 321 days, breaking the previous record held by Bojan Krkić (17 years and 22 days); he also became the third-youngest player ever to appear in the competition.[20] On 10 December, Fati became the youngest goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history at the age of 17 years and 40 days when he scored the game winner in Barcelona's 2–1 victory over Inter Milan at the San Siro.[21]

On 2 February 2020, Fati became the youngest player to score a brace in La Liga, scoring both goals in Barcelona's 2–1 win over Levante.[22] On 5 July, Barcelona defeated Villarreal away from home and he scored the fourth goal in the 4–1 win. His goal was the 9,000th in Barça's history.[23] On 9 July 2020, Fati was sent off after fouling Fernando Calero in the match against Espanyol. Fati had only just played 5 minutes after substituting Nélson Semedo in second half.

2020–21 season

On 23 September 2020, Fati was officially promoted to the first team.[24] Four days later, in Barcelona's first match of the 2020–21 La Liga season and the first under new head coach Ronald Koeman, Fati scored a brace and forced a penalty in a 4–0 win over Villarreal.[25][26] He scored again in the following match, a 3–0 away win over Celta Vigo on 1 October.[27] His performances led to him being named as the La Liga Player of the Month for September 2020.[28] On 20 October, he scored a goal in a 5–1 win over Ferencváros in the Champions League, to become the first player to score more than one goal in the competition before turning 18.[29] On 24 October, he scored a goal in a 1–3 defeat against Real Madrid, to become the youngest scorer in El Clásico, aged 17 years and 359 days old.[30] On 7 November, Fati suffered a knee injury against Real Betis and was subbed off at half-time, tests later confirmed that he tore his meniscus on his left knee.[31] Two days later he underwent surgery and the club announced that he would be out for approximately four months.[32]

International career

Fati was originally eligible to represent Guinea-Bissau at international level, but did not represent the nation of his birth at any level. After his debut in La Liga, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) showed interest in him, with Diario AS reporting that the Spanish government had set its sights on granting Fati citizenship with a view to including him in the squad for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He was also reportedly eligible for a Portuguese passport through his grandparents' birth in colonial Portuguese Guinea.[33]

Fati was granted Spanish citizenship on 20 September 2019,[34][35] renouncing his Bissau-Guinean citizenship.[36] He was called up to the Spanish under-21 team on 11 October 2019, following an injury to Carles Pérez.[37] Fati made his debut for the Spanish under-21 team on 15 October 2019 against Montenegro.[38]

Fati received his first call up to the full Spain squad on 20 August 2020, for the initial two matches of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League.[39] He made his full international debut on 3 September 2020, coming off the bench for the second 45 minutes in a 1–1 draw to Germany.[40] He scored his first goal in his first international start on 6 September 2020, scoring Spain's third goal against Ukraine to be the national team's youngest ever goalscorer at the age of 17 years and 311 days;[41] hence, breaking the 95-year record of Juan Errazquin, aged 18 years and 344 days.[42] He also became the youngest player to start a match in the UEFA Nations League, breaking the previous record of Welsh player, Ethan Ampadu in 2018, aged 17 years and 357 days. He is widely regarded as the future of Spanish Football along with his FC Barcelona teammate Pedri.[43]

Career statistics

Club
As of matches played 7 November 2020.[44]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Copa del Rey Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barcelona 2019–20 La Liga 247305110338
2020–21 74003100105
Career total 31113082104313

International
As of matches played 13 October 2020.[45]
Spain
YearAppsGoals
202041
Total41

International goals
As of 6 September 2020. (Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Fati goal)
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
16 September 2020Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium, Madrid, Spain Ukraine3–04–02020–21 UEFA Nations League A

    Honours

    Individual

    See also

    References
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    2. "Ansu Fati". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
    3. Marsden, Rory. "Barcelona Starlet Ansu Fati Given Spanish Citizenship, National Team Eligibility". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
    4. "Top 30 Talents: The best young players in the world (10-1)". eurosport.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
    5. "Barcelona's Andy Fati produced incredible highlights during Spain 4-0 Ukraine". givemesport.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
    6. "Ansu Fati: The Barcelona and Spain record-breaking wonderkid described as Lionel Messi's 'heir' linked to Manchester United with a £360 million release clause". talksport.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
    7. "Ansu Fati's father explains Barcelona signing: "Madrid offered us better terms..."". Diario AS. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
    8. "La saga de los hermanos Fati" [The saga of the Fati brothers] (in Spanish). Sport. 26 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
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