Carlos Espi scored five goals on his Spain Under-21 debut as his side overwhelmed San Marino 13-0 in European Under-21 Championship qualifying.
The Real Madrid striker was the outstanding performer in Serravalle on Thursday, helping Spain strengthen their position at the top of Group A. The result leaves Spain two points clear of Finland before their final group match against Romania in Ibiza on 6 October.
Spain dominated from the outset at San Marino Stadium and built an unassailable lead in a one-sided contest. Espi opened his international account in the 34th minute, with the Spanish Football Federation describing it as his first goal for the Under-21 side.
He added a second goal in the 52nd minute as Spain moved 7-0 ahead. The federation later highlighted the forward’s fifth goal in the 74th minute, when the score reached 11-0.
The performance marked an impressive first appearance at Under-21 level for Espi, who had previously represented Spain at Under-19 and Under-20 level. His first call-up to the Under-21 squad arrived during the current international break.
Espi has also made a positive start to the season with Real Madrid after joining the club from Levante last summer. He signed a contract with the Spanish club until June 2031.
Before his move, the forward made 66 appearances for Levante across three seasons and scored 20 goals. His five-goal international display adds to a strong beginning to his career at Real Madrid and underlines his impact with Spain’s youth teams.
Spain’s emphatic victory ensures they go into their final qualifying fixture with control of their own chances of reaching the 2027 European Under-21 Championship, which will be hosted by Albania and Serbia.
The result also maintained their unbeaten position at the summit of Group A, with Finland the closest challengers. Spain will now face Romania on 6 October in Ibiza, knowing victory would secure their position in the race to qualify.