If you glance at the birthplaces of Spain’s national footballers, one name stands out instantly — Aymeric Laporte.

Unlike the other 25 players in Spain’s World Cup squad, Laporte’s roots lie in France. Born and raised there, his journey contrasts with that of his occasional centre-back partner Dean Huijsen, who relocated to Spain as a child. Laporte, on the other hand, only moved to Spain at the age of 16.

So, how did a boy from France end up donning the Spanish colours? Here’s how his story unfolds.

Born as Aymeric Jean Louis Gérard Alphonse Laporte, he hailed from Agen, a commune located southeast of Bordeaux in southern France.

As a child, he split his time between football and rugby. By his teenage years, his footballing talent had caught the eye of some of Europe’s leading academies.

One of those was Athletic Club Bilbao. The Basque club, famous for its policy of recruiting only players with Basque heritage, discovered that Laporte’s great-grandparents were Basque. This distant ancestral connection led them to invite him to their academy in 2009 — a move that sparked debate among traditionalists over how strictly the policy should be applied.

At 15, Laporte was considered too young to move abroad, so he continued training with Bayonne in France. A year later, in 2010, he officially joined Athletic Club’s Lezama academy.

Laporte quickly rose through the youth ranks at Lezama and made his senior debut at 18. By that point, he had also become a regular in France’s youth teams, which were closely monitoring his development.

The 2013–14 season marked his breakthrough — he cemented his place in the Athletic Bilbao first team with 35 La Liga appearances. Yet, a senior call-up from France never arrived. Still stuck with the youth teams, Laporte’s frustration grew. In 2015, he publicly stated that if he wasn’t selected for Euro 2016, he would consider pledging his international future to Spain.

Didier Deschamps, France’s head coach, never called him up. To make matters worse, an injury ruled Laporte out of Euro 2016 anyway, leaving him sidelined and disappointed.

By late 2016, Laporte began the process of becoming eligible to represent Spain. Ironically, just then Deschamps finally called him up to the French senior team — but Laporte didn’t play a single minute.

Although Spain made their interest known, Laporte still hoped for a chance to represent his birth nation and decided to wait.

In the winter transfer window of 2018, Laporte secured a $76 million move to Manchester City — a record-breaking fee for both clubs. He quickly established himself as one of Pep Guardiola’s key defenders and helped City lift the Premier League title that very season.

Despite his stellar performances in England, Deschamps continued to overlook him. Although Laporte was included in France’s squad for World Cup qualifiers in October 2017, he remained unused and ultimately missed out on the 2018 World Cup, which France went on to win.

By 2019, Laporte’s patience had worn thin. Recognised as one of the Premier League’s best defenders, he believed he deserved a place on the international stage. Called up again for Euro 2020 qualifiers, he was forced to withdraw due to injury.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFRF) then decided to act, offering him Spanish citizenship. In May 2021, realising France would once again overlook him for Euro 2020 (which was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic), Laporte accepted the offer and officially switched allegiance to Spain.

That decision changed everything. While France exited the Euro 2020 tournament in the Round of 16, Laporte helped Spain reach the semifinals and became a fixture in the team. He featured in three out of four matches at the 2022 World Cup, but it was at Euro 2024 that he truly tasted glory with his adopted nation.

Laporte started every knockout round match in that tournament, including the emotionally charged victory over France. He formed a formidable defensive pairing with Robin Le Normand — another player who switched from France to Spain.

After his move from Manchester City to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, Laporte’s club performances dipped. Nevertheless, in 2025 he made a return to Athletic Bilbao, the club where it all began. Despite inconsistent form, he earned a place in Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad and has featured in all seven matches so far.

Now a seasoned veteran, Laporte has been instrumental in Spain’s defensive solidity. Alongside teenage sensation Pau Cubarsí, he has conceded just one goal in the tournament.

From being repeatedly overlooked by Deschamps to lifting the European Championship with Spain and standing on the verge of World Cup glory — Aymeric Laporte’s journey is a remarkable tale of resilience and reinvention.