Jacobo Ramon Joins Spain's Senior Squad Thanks to Cesc Fabregas
Jacobo Ramon steps into Spain’s senior squad with the calm of a centre-back and the gratitude of someone who knows exactly who helped put him there.
The 21-year-old Como defender, once another hopeful in Real Madrid’s academy system, is now a full international. And he is in no doubt that Cesc Fabregas has been central to that journey.
“I left Real Madrid to carve out a place for myself at the top level. I can’t say I’ve reached my goal, but I’m on the right path,” Ramon said at Las Rozas, before Spain flew out to Prague. The path he talks about runs straight through Lake Como and a coach who saw something others were prepared to wait on.
From WhatsApp ping to La Roja
The moment itself was anything but glamorous.
“I was at home and Assane Diao messaged me telling me to look at my phone. He sent me a photo of the list, and at first I couldn’t believe it.”
No phone call from Luis de la Fuente. No dramatic reveal. Just a teammate’s screenshot and a few seconds of disbelief before reality landed: first senior call-up for Spain, confirmed.
“Coming in here for the first time is a huge honour, and I’m really proud to be with the Selección,” Ramon said. He already knew he was in the provisional squad, but had not spoken directly to the national coach before the announcement. The message arrived, the list was real, and a young defender who left Valdebebas in search of minutes suddenly found himself in the heart of La Roja’s plans.
Fabregas’ bet pays off
Ramon’s rise has been accelerated by a Como side refusing to play by the script. Under Fabregas, the Lariani are not just surviving in Serie A; they are forcing their way into the conversation at the top end of the table. Fourth place in Italy, a dressing room full of belief, and a statement 9-1 win away at Lens in the Champions League last week that turned heads across Europe.
In the middle of it, Ramon. A starter. A reference point. A defender trusted to build from the back in a team that insists on playing.
“If I’m here, it’s thanks to the faith he’s shown in me and what I’m doing with Como. I want to keep going down this path,” he said of De la Fuente. But the subtext is clear: without Fabregas, this version of Jacobo Ramon might not exist yet.
“Cesc believed in me straight away. He explained the project to me, and his way of seeing football suits my qualities perfectly. I’m really grateful to him.”
That “project” has already reshaped his career. Leaving Real Madrid last summer was a risk. Many hesitate, fearing that once they step away from the Bernabéu orbit, the spotlight goes with it. Ramon chose differently. He left to play, to be judged on performances rather than potential, and to test himself in one of Europe’s most demanding leagues.
Now, as he pulls on the Spain shirt for the first time, that decision looks less like a gamble and more like the move that unlocked everything.
From Como to Prague – and beyond
The images tell part of the story. Ramon battling with Donyell Malen in Serie A, celebrating a goal with Nico Paz in front of a bouncing Giuseppe Sinigaglia. These are not cameos. They are snapshots of a player who has embedded himself in a team pushing its limits.
He speaks like someone who knows there is still a long way to go, but also like someone who understands the moment.
He has left Madrid. He has embraced Fabregas’ vision. He has helped drive Como into Italy’s top four and onto the Champions League stage. Now he stands at the door of international football, no longer a name on a B-team sheet but a defender Spain’s coach trusts enough to bring into the senior group.
The honour is his. The justification belongs to the choices he made — and to the coach who backed him before anyone else did.
