Fernández impresses in his Olympics debut: "At the anthem, I nearly shed a tear"

27 July 2024 will be a day which Spain’s left wing, Daniel Fernández, will never forget. How could he forget it, after making his debut at the Olympic Games at only 23 years old? 

Not only Fernández did not have any issues on the court or displayed any nerves, he also scored four goals, being instrumental in Spain’s 25:22 win over Slovenia in the maiden match of the men’s competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“I dreamt about a lot about this moment, it is an amazing moment for me. But I am also happy that with this personal achievement I could also help the team get to a winning start at the Olympic Games, because it is a very difficult competitions,” says Fernández.

“I think it is the dream of any athlete, to be here, and, to be honest, during the anthem, I nearly shed a tear, because I knew that my family is also here, in the arena, and it was a very special moment, they sacrificed a lot for my career and being here is just a pinnacle of everything.”

Aged only 23 years old, Fernández is the second youngest player in Spain’s squad – only line player Javier Rodriguez, who is 22 years old, is younger – but he is starting to get more and more experience, with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games being his third major international competition.

Fernández broke the 100-goal barrier for Spain in a little less of 40 matches played and became the first choice on this position, underling his penchant for delivering good performances, despite his lack of experience at the highest level.

“The teammates are amazing, I must confess, they really are great. This is my third major international competition for Spain and it is always fantastic to come here, play, and enjoy the atmosphere with my teammates,” adds Fernández.

But Fernández’s journey towards an Olympic spot was far from easy. His first steps in handball were in Barcelona’s famous academy, but without too many chances to play, he was then loaned to Club Balonmán Cangas, from where he was signed by German side, TvB 1898 Stuttgart.

Fernández is definitely not the first Spanish player to feature in the German league, with plenty others, like Gedeon Guardiola, Joan Canellas or Viran Morros doing it before, but it is quite unusual to see young Spanish talents switching from their domestic league and going into the Bundesliga at only 21 years old, like Fernández did.

“It is a decision that shaped up my career. It really helped me grow, because I have improved a lot, the conditions are great, there is this job security, you have everything you need and this is absolutely fantastic. The Bundesliga is also the best league in the world, in my opinion and it helped me a lot improve,” says Fernández.

Taking one out of his comfort zone might prove problematic, but the left wing has been nothing short of superb in the past years for Spain and now he earned his position for “Los Hispanos”, a team which has always battled for medals in the biggest competitions.

With some fresh faces in the line-up, Spain are back at the Olympics for the 12th time, the record number of appearances for any side in the competition. Whether this will translate in a medal or not, it is still to be seen.

But for Fernández, Paris 2024 will also be a special competition. With his family by his side, scoring four times against Slovenia, and with a cheeky steal in the last minute of the match, the left wing had a perfect start of his first Olympics.

Next is a match against Sweden, where Spain aim to extend their winning run. And Fernández will be there, as his counterpart on the left wing position, Miguel Sanchez-Migallon is usually playing more on defence.