Fermin Lopez is leading the Spanish Olympic team. His brace in the quarter-finals against Japan put Spain in the fight for medals in the Paris 2024 tournament. He came into this tournament after winning the Euros with a minor role, playing just 29 minutes. A year after breaking into the elite, the 21-year-old Barcelona midfielder is stepping up.

It’s a late debut by today's standards, where rising stars usually break through before they turn 18. Fermin’s journey wasn't straightforward. He had to leave Barça B and head to Linares in the Primera RFEF to continue his development.

His 12 goals and 4 assists there earned him a return to the Blaugrana, joining the preseason tour in the US, and scoring a goal against Real Madrid that made headlines worldwide. Making it in the elite depends on seizing moments, and Fermin grabbed his chance in style.

That goal against Real Madrid mirrors his first goal against Japan. High recovery, Fermin receives the ball at the edge of the box, and even though he's right-footed, he hits it powerfully with his left to beat the keeper. Neither Courtois nor Kokubo could stop Fermin’s shot.

After the Japan match, where he also scored the second goal with a right-footed shot from outside the box, Fermin explained in the mixed zone that it's a move he practices regularly. "It's something the coaches ask of me. I have a good shot from outside the box and I try to practice it," he said.

Fermin was the game-changer and stepped up as one of the two European champions in the Olympic team, along with Alex Baena. Wearing the number 11, Fermin took some time to get into the competition rhythm, but now he’s showing he’s a step ahead of the rest. For him, this isn't preseason; he gave up his vacation to aim for a double. He’s already got the Euros, and now he's going for Olympic gold.

He's doing it as the current leader in Santi Denia's team. Against Japan, he put on a show. Besides the brace, he won physical duels, left opponents behind in dribbles, nutmegged twice, and delivered passes into the box that just needed better finishing to add assists to his goals.

From 29 minutes in the Euros to being indispensable in the Olympics, Fermin excels in different roles. With fewer minutes under Luis de la Fuente, his teammates praised the positive vibe he created, which he continues to show with constant jokes with his teammates in France.

This performance boosts his status for when he returns to Barcelona. Without Xavi, under Hansi Flick, he’ll have to earn his spot again, with Gavi's return on the horizon and potential midfield reinforcements.

That's the demanding nature of elite football, and Fermin knows it. A year ago, before scoring against Real Madrid, he didn’t have a secure place in the first team, and his market value was 300,000 euros. Now, it's 30 million.