The decision dates from May 23 but it was not made public until Wednesday morning. It is now official. After several months of administrative procedures, Robin Le Normand, the French defender of Real Sociedad (Liga), obtained Spanish nationality. Information revealed in the official bulletin of the Spanish State (BOE) of May 24.
“On the proposal of the Minister of Justice and taking into account the exceptional circumstances (…), and after deliberation by the Council of Ministers in its meeting of May 23, 2023, Spanish nationality by naturalization was granted to Robin Aimé Robert Le Normand”, indicates the document disseminated on social networks.
The Norman, originally from Pabu (Brittany) and trained at Stade Brestois, has never been called up with the Blues. He joined Real Sociedad in 2016, aged 19. He first evolved with the reserve team, to refine his formation, then was launched in the first team three years later, in 2019, by Imanol Alguacil.
A central hinge with Aymeric Laporte?
According to the Spanish press, Luis de La Fuente, new coach of La Roja after the failure of Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, wishes to summon him from June 2 to integrate him into the Spanish selection which will play the final four. Nations League in mid-June in the Netherlands.
In 2020, the person concerned nevertheless confided to us his “dream” of playing one day for the France team. “The main thing is to get up every morning and tell yourself that you will improve. This is my main idea. Afterwards, you can dream of everything and put all your desire to achieve it. Like everyone else, I dream of the France team, of many things, but all that can only come with work. Never let go, never. Success will not only depend on my performance with Real Sociedad. »
The Norman is now one of the very best central defenders in the Spanish championship. In October 2021, he was even elected player of the month in La Liga. With Real Sociedad, he won the 2020 King’s Cup, and is about to lift the club to the Champions League for the first time in ten years.
He could very soon find himself forming a defensive pair with another “French” under the tunic of La Roja. Almost two years ago to the day, in 2021, Aymeric Laporte (29 years old on May 27) had obtained Spanish naturalization. The native of Agen had also never played with the France A team.
Laporte was subsequently called up for selection. The Manchester City defender had participated in Euro 2021, reached the final of the Nations League the same year. During the World Cup in Qatar, he and La Roja were knocked out by Morocco in the round of 16.
