Fabián Ruiz, scorer of Spain's first goal against Belgium in the 2026 World Cup, shares roots with Gavi and Jesús Navas. The three were raised in Los Palacios and Villafranca, a Sevillian municipality of 40,000 inhabitants that is already known as the cradle of Spanish football.
Fabián Ruiz Peña scored the first goal of the Spain-Belgium match in the 30th minute, paving the way to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. The midfielder, who plays for PSG, not only celebrated the goal: he inadvertently highlighted the pride of his town. Because Gavi and Jesús Navas also hail from Los Palacios and Villafranca, two names that have made history in the national team.
A town of 40,000 souls that breathes football
With around 40,000 inhabitants, Los Palacios and Villafranca is a municipality in the Lower Guadalquivir that is focused on agriculture. It produces about 16 million tomatoes a year and boasts an industrial sector centred on the manufacture of highly durable chairs and fairground attractions. But what has put this town on the international map is its youth football academy.
In 2023, the three locals were part of the national team that won the Nations League. That milestone placed the town in the spotlight. Now, with Fabián Ruiz as the star of the World Cup, the municipality once again feels proud of its roots.
A talent factory that never stops
The Los Palacios and Villafranca City Council has repeatedly stated that football is a local identity hallmark. The sports schools in the municipality have seen hundreds of children pass through, dreaming of following in the footsteps of their idols. And it’s no wonder: the example of Fabián, Gavi and Jesús Navas shows that from an agricultural town, one can reach the highest heights.
For the residents of Los Palacios, seeing Fabián Ruiz score in a World Cup is a daily source of pride. Bars and sports clubs fill up every time La Roja plays, and shirts bearing Fabián's '10' or Gavi's '6' sell like hotcakes in local shops.
A tourist destination for football lovers
The municipality has become a draw for fans wanting to explore the streets where these stars grew up. The Route of the Stars, promoted by the City Council, takes visitors through the iconic places of the footballers' childhood: the municipal football pitch, the school, and the squares where they first kicked a ball.
Visitors can also sample the local cuisine, based on garden produce, and take home one of the famous Palacian chairs as a souvenir. Sports tourism has provided an economic boost to the area, which hopes to capitalise on the World Cup's momentum to attract even more travellers.
For now, the entire town is focused on the upcoming semifinal match. Fabián, Gavi and Jesús Navas are undoubtedly the most illustrious ambassadors of a corner of Seville that is already part of Spanish football history.
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