Dani Olmo began his 2026 World Cup journey sitting on the bench in the opening match against Cape Verde, but he quickly became an indispensable element in Luis de la Fuente's lineup, and is expected to be Spain's playmaker in the semifinal against France on Tuesday.

This anticipated encounter comes after an upward trajectory for Olmo with the Spanish national team, where he has proven his worth as a decisive player in big matches.

Considering the team's style based on ball control, Olmo's presence seems necessary for his ability to link midfield and attack.

De la Fuente described Olmo at the start of the tournament as 'a master at playing between the lines'.

The 28-year-old Barcelona player is living his best period. Throughout his career, few have doubted his talent and ability to create play, but he rarely enjoyed continuity due to injuries, which likely deprived him of greater international presence.

Olmo said before the match against Belgium: 'My life and career have been like this, always having to prove who I am, but that's not a problem, it's a challenge I set for myself, to prove that again, as I always have.' He added that, unlike his teammates, he had to emigrate outside Spain as a teenager to build his football future.

Olmo... was formed at La Masia, Barcelona's training center, but in 2014, at age 16, he decided to leave for a different experience (Reuters)

Emigrating for success

He was formed at La Masia, Barcelona's training center, but in 2014, at age 16, he decided to leave the club due to the difficulty of joining the first team, which at that time included players like Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

But instead of moving to another big club in Europe, he chose with his family to go to Dinamo Zagreb, a club with a good reputation for developing young talents (Luka Modric graduated there, for example), but far from the spotlight of the major leagues.

Olmo previously said: 'In Croatia the culture was different, and I learned a lot physically.'

He added: 'In Spain the focus was more on the ball, especially at Barcelona (...) but Croatia benefited me a lot. I was 16 years old, and I was training with players from the national team who played in the World Cup. It was a big step for me. It made me develop physically and mentally because the game was faster.'

In Zagreb, his name began to shine, before moving to Leipzig where he honed his talent in the German league, until he returned to Barcelona exactly two years ago.

He is a key element in German coach Hansi Flick's team thanks to his ability to play between the lines and open spaces for his teammates, in addition to his goal contributions: 20 goals and 17 assists in 88 matches wearing the Catalan club's shirt.

Olmo returned to Barcelona after writing his name as a prominent star (AFP)

With de la Fuente in the youth categories

De la Fuente did not need to see him at Barcelona to call him up to the national team. As is the case with a number of 2026 World Cup players (Unai Simon, Mikel Merino, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Fabian Ruiz), Olmo won the European Under-19 Championship in 2019 under his leadership.

Two years later, he called him again for the Tokyo Olympic Games, where Spain won the silver medal, although he had already made his international debut with the senior team and scored a goal just 3 minutes after entering the field in the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Malta in 2019.

He participated in Euro 2021 (summer 2021) and the World Cup in Qatar 2022, but his most notable achievements with 'La Roja' came with de la Fuente, winning the Nations League in 2023, finishing runner-up in 2025, and winning Euro 2024, and now he reaches the semifinals of the North American World Cup.

De la Fuente values in Olmo his dynamism in attacking play, his ability to make a difference, and his effort in pressing.

The number 10 holder in the red national team said before the quarterfinal against Belgium: 'We are a team that attacks together and defends together. The coach says the first defender is the striker, and the rest follow him.'

Olmo's ability to adapt to different playing styles, whether in midfield or attack, is one of his strongest weapons. Despite the challenges he faced with injuries, the Barcelona player remains a pivotal element in Spain's ambitions to win the title. The match against France will be a real test of his ability to lead the attack in the absence of any clear alternative.