Víctor Valdés at Men’s Health España

A shirtless (and smoldering) Víctor Valdés is featured on the cover of this month’s Men’s Health.  Inside, a fitness expert analyzes VV’s body (why can’t I have a job that requires such an action?), there is a little write-up (unfortunately, there is no long interview like the one with Sergio Ramos), and happily, there are more shirtless photos.

(PF) Juan Mata at Minuto 116

PF Juan Mata is on the cover of the May issue of magazine Minuto 116 (can you guess what the name of the magazine – Minute 116 – refers to?), and inside, over half of the magazine is dedicated to him!  There’s a great (and super, super long) interview with Juanín, a piece written by his sister PF Paula Mata, an interview with his grandfather, and his friends’ views of him, among other articles.  All of them paint a picture of a footballer who is also a normal person, in addition to being funny, humble, and well, also muy guapo.

So adorable!

imparables juntos

The Federación Española de Baloncesto (Spanish Basketball Federation) and Nike presented the national basketball teams’ new jerseys yesterday, and Sergio Ramos and Andrés Iniesta show up in the video introducing the new jerseys, as do several famous Spanish athletes, including of course basketball players and Rafa Nadal, and celebrities.

I love it when the football and basketball teams team up!

models for a day

Remember how during the last concentración, several of the boys did a photoshoot with Pedro del Hierro, the firm that is responsible for dressing the national team?  Well here we have some of the (colorful) results, courtesy of XL Semanal!  Plus the boys talk about their own styles…

a little wrap up post

I don’t have time to make a proper ICYMI post, as this game occurred in the middle of Semana Santa, so you’ll have to do with this.

Pedro said after the game that he had no idea how the ball went in, but the important thing is that it went in!

all set for France!

Keep in mind somos España as we take on France at 21h tonight, with a spot in the 2014 World Cup at stake.  Luckily for us, these two guys are scheduled to play.

Spain will debut a completely red kit (shirt, shorts, socks) for the game!  Let’s go La Roja!

Juan Mata at El Mundo’s La Otra Crónica

Attention girls: we have an eligible bachelor here.  He’s 24 years old, athletic, stylish, educated, studious, prudent, nice… and has a weekly salary of about 90,000 euros.  He answers to the name Juan Mata (Burgos, 1988), and in addition to being one of our world champions, he has become Chelsea’s most admired player.  He doesn’t only break the mold on the field, but off of it: can you imagine a football star traveling on the Underground like a normal person?  Or an athlete who prefers to read Murakami or Borges instead of playing Play?  LOC spent an afternoon with him in an English pub as he did his duties as IWC’s spokesperson.

The New York Times chose you as the man of the moment for your style after the Eurocopa.   What was your reaction?

That’s because I have two friends who work there (laughs).  The truth is that it was a surprise, my two friends were joking around with me about it and I didn’t believe them but anyway… it’s a positive piece of news, no?

all set for Finland!

There are many things to look forward to in tonight’s game (20:45h)!  This game will be Sergio Ramos’ 100th with Spain, and he’ll achieve it at the age of 26 years and 358 days, the youngest Spanish player and seventh youngest in the world to do so.  This game will also be Vicente del Bosque’s 69th one in charge of La Roja, pushing him past Ladislao Kubala as coach with the most games under his belt.  And of course, as the game is being played in Gijón, it will be a homecoming of sorts for La Roja’s three asturianos – PF Juan Mata, David Villa and Santi Cazorla!