Carlos Espi scores five as Spain thrash San Marino 13-0 in Under-21 qualifier

Real Madrid forward Carlos Espi marked his Spain Under-21 debut with five goals as his side overwhelmed San Marino 13-0 in their Euro Under-21 2027 qualifying match on Thursday.

Spain dominated the game at the San Marino Stadium in Serravalle from the outset, securing a commanding victory which strengthened their position at the top of Group A.

The result came before Spain’s final group match against Romania in Ibiza on 6 October. They now lead Finland by two points and will enter the final round knowing qualification remains in their own hands.

Espi was the standout performer, scoring five times in a remarkable first appearance for the Under-21 side. The Spanish Football Federation’s official account highlighted his first goal in the 34th minute, when he put Spain 4-0 ahead.

He added another in the 52nd minute to make it 7-0, while a further goal in the 74th minute took Spain’s lead to 11-0. The federation described the performance as “not bad” for a five-goal debut and called it “Carlos Espi’s night”.

The 20-year-old has also made a positive start to the season at club level after joining Real Madrid from Levante last summer. He signed a contract with the Spanish club running until June 2031.

Espi spent three seasons with Levante, making 66 appearances and scoring 20 goals. Before receiving his first call-up to the Under-21 squad during the current international break, he had represented Spain at Under-19 and Under-20 level.

Spain’s emphatic victory keeps them in control of the race to reach the 2027 European Under-21 Championship, which will be hosted by Albania and Serbia.