Laia Palau wears the number 9, and in the 9th minute of the first quarter of yesterday’s friendly in Córdoba between Spain and Belgium the Federation decided to pay a surprise tribute to him for his 300 matches with the Spanish team. Suddenly, his family jumped on the floor and handed him the minutes of his first international match, played against Canada in Villagarcía de Arousa on August 16, 2002. An unforgettable night, for the base of the Spar Girona.
Palau played 300 matches on Thursday against Nigeria. In yesterday’s match against Belgium, the next of its 300 internationals with Spain, the base received a surprise tribute. The match was stopped and Jorge Garbajosa, president of the FEB, gave Laia Palau a commemorative T-shirt for his 300 international matches in the middle of the court of the Palau Municipal Vista Alegre in Córdoba. A milestone that, until now, no Spanish basketball player had achieved in either the women’s or men’s categories. But the surprise didn’t end there. Next, Palau’s relatives jumped on the floor.
«In the name of all the Spanish basketball, of your past and current teammates, coaches, referees, but, above all, of all these girls who play basketball and who want to be like you and who are going to start playing because you they’ve seen you play, 300 million times thanks, Laia, ”Garbajosa commented.
“Elite athletes know that without our family our life would not be as enjoyable as it is. And thanks also to my colleagues, to those of today and to the millions who have been here, this is something we have built together. So, let’s go as far as we can with this, “said an excited Palau before the game resumed. Spain won 61-58.
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