There is something I really like about watching Victor Munoz at the moment.
He doesn’t seem fazed by any of it.
Liverpool.
Spain.
International football.
Big games.
He just gets on with it.
And Munoz has now added another important experience to his growing international career after helping Spain beat Czechia 3-1 in the Nations League.
The Liverpool forward came on at half-time for Lamine Yamal and immediately had another 45 minutes to show the Spain manager what he can do.
And he finished the night with an assist.
That’s pretty good going.
Munoz is getting more opportunities
This is exactly what Munoz needs right now.
He was part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad this summer but didn’t get onto the pitch during the tournament. He then made his competitive international debut as a substitute against Croatia before getting another opportunity against Czechia.
Now he’s getting minutes.
And that’s important.
It’s one thing being called up by Spain.
It’s another thing actually getting onto the pitch and showing the manager that you belong there.
Munoz is starting to do that.
Against Czechia, he replaced Yamal at the start of the second half as Spain looked to manage their attacking players.
And he didn’t simply disappear into the game.
He got involved.
And then came the assist
Spain had already been reduced to a 2-1 lead when Munoz became involved in the decisive moment.
After Czechia pushed forward looking for an equaliser, Spain broke quickly.
Roberto Fernández played the ball into the path of Munoz, who raced into the area.
He couldn’t quite finish the opportunity himself, but his effort was saved by Czech goalkeeper Antonín Kinský.
Munoz reacted quickly enough to the situation, though, and Mikel Merino was there to smash the rebound into the net.
3-1.
Game over.
And officially, Munoz got the assist.
I actually like that.
Because it shows another side of his game.
He didn’t need to score to make an impact.
He made the run.
He attacked the space.
He got himself into a dangerous position.
He forced the goalkeeper into a save.
And his involvement ultimately led to Spain’s third goal.
That’s exactly the sort of thing you want from a young attacking player.
This is valuable for Liverpool too
Obviously, the biggest benefit of all of this is that Munoz is getting experience at international level.
He’s 23 now, but he’s still relatively new to senior international football.
Playing alongside players like Rodri, Pedri, Lamine Yamal and the rest of Spain’s incredible attacking talent can only help him.
And he’s learning what it takes to play for one of the best international teams in the world.
That’s something you can’t really recreate on the training ground.
You have to experience it.
You have to play in these matches.
You have to make mistakes.
You have to deal with the pressure.
And you have to learn how to make an impact when you get your opportunity.
Munoz is doing that now.
I like what I’m seeing from him
What interests me most is that Munoz doesn’t look overwhelmed.
That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give him.
He’s stepping onto the international stage and trying things.
He’s running at defenders.
He’s getting into dangerous areas.
He’s looking to make things happen.
And now he’s got an assist for Spain to show for it.
There will obviously be tougher tests ahead.
He’s not suddenly going to become a regular starter for Spain because of one good 45-minute performance.
But that’s not what this is about.
It’s about building something.
One appearance becomes another.
A few minutes become 45.
A cameo becomes an assist.
And suddenly the manager has another reason to keep looking at you.
That’s how it starts.
Liverpool supporters should be keeping an eye on this
For Liverpool, it’s another positive sign.
Munoz arrived at the club with plenty of excitement around him, but international recognition gives him another level of confidence.
He’s now experiencing football at the very highest level with Spain while also trying to establish himself at Liverpool.
And that’s exactly what you want to see.
I don’t think we need to put ridiculous pressure on him.
Let him develop.
Let him learn.
Let him get these minutes.
Let him make mistakes.
But give him opportunities.
Because there is clearly something there.
And getting an assist for Spain in a 3-1 Nations League win is another little step in the right direction.
Spain remain perfect in their Nations League group after three victories, while Munoz is continuing to add valuable minutes to his international experience.
For me, that’s the important bit.
He’s getting closer.
And every time Victor Munoz gets onto that pitch for Spain, he’s giving Liverpool supporters another reason to be excited about what he could become.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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