Carlos Espí, the Real Madrid forward, led Spain's under-21 side to a crushing 13-0 victory over San Marino on Thursday evening, in the qualifiers for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, due to be held in Albania and Serbia.
Spain controlled the game from first whistle to last at the San Marino Stadium in Serravalle. The comprehensive win tightened their grip on top spot in Group One, ahead of a final fixture against Romania on 6 October in Ibiza.
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Espí stole the limelight with five goals of his own.
The young forward is off to a flying start this season, having swapped Levante for the Spanish capital last summer on a deal that runs until June 2031.
He made 66 appearances for Levante across three seasons, scoring 20 goals. Espí had worn the Spain shirt at under-19 and under-20 level before earning his first under-21 call-up during the current international break.
Victory over San Marino kept Spain two points clear of Finland at the summit of Group One. They go into the final round with their fate in their own hands in the race to reach the 2027 European Championship.