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Aymeric Laporte has retaliated against critics who argued his move to Saudi Arabia should have disqualified him from Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad.
The defender started in six of Spain’s seven matches in Germany and played every minute of their 2-1 win over England in the final.
Laporte, 30, left Manchester City last summer after seven trophy-laden seasons to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr for £23.5million.
Detractors in Spain wanted to see him axed from the national team after his move to a less reputable league but now he has had the last laugh.
‘The rest is history,’ he wrote on X , in a frosty dismissal of their negativity, posting screenshots of pre-tournament criticism from the Spanish media.
Aymeric Laporte has hit back at critics who slammed the decision to take him to Euro 2024
The former Man City star started in six matches and played the fourth-most minutes for them
Critics had raised concerns about Laporte playing in Saudi Arabia as well as his fitness
According to Marca, there were concerns about Laporte’s fitness and the quality of the league he played in for the duration of the 2023-24 season.
Some observers have now argued that playing in the Saudi Pro League, where the match intensity is lower than in the Premier League, has benefited players such as N’Golo Kante.
Laporte, who became a naturalised Spaniard in 2021 after not being handed a cap for his native France, will feel vindicated after lifting his first international trophy and beating the country of his birth in the semi-finals.
He posted three screenshots of negative reporting around him from the Spanish media.
‘Laporte’s connection with Spain: he disappeared from the elite by going to Saudi Arabia and he’s at the Euros,’ read a headline from El Confidencial.
‘Laporte’s flashy dodging,’ was the opinion of columnist Alfredo Relano.
Meanwhile, Spanish pundit Joaquin Maroto had claimed on radio station Cadena SER: ‘I saw Laporte play and I told the coach: he’s not in the minimum form required to play in the Euros. He may be fit enough to play in Saudi Arabia, but not enough to play in the Euros
He added that Laporte was ‘worse’ than 17-year-old Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, who was cut from Spain’s provisional squad ahead of Euro 2024.
The defender left Manchester City last summer to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr
Still only 30, he left City after seven seasons for £23.5million in a shock transfer last August
Manager Luis de la Fuente had faith in Laporte and he ended up playing the fourth-most minutes (525) out of all of their stars at the European Championship.
He had missed Spain’s opening match against Croatia but started the rest of their matches and only came off at half-time against Albania in their final group game when they were 1-0 up.
La Roja conceded four goals in six games with the former Manchester City star on the pitch and he formed a solid partnershio with Robin Le Normand.
