Eduardo Alonso  is having a solid season. After starting the year alongside  Juan Tello The Spaniard has launched a new project with  Aimar Goñi , with which the results follow. Now established as  11th pair in the world The two men are aiming even higher.

This dynamic also places Alonso among the players likely to join the  Spanish national team for the World Cup A perspective that he is bound to like, even if he refuses to make it an obsession.

"I would love to represent my country."

Asked by Padel Addict Alonso makes no secret of his desire to participate in the next World Championship.

«  I would love to be able to represent my country, I love it.  »

But the Spanish player is keeping a certain distance from the decision that the coach will have to make.  Juanjo Gutiérrez .

"It's not something that keeps me up at night, because I think that..." It is very difficult to base one's motivation on the decision of a third party.  »

Alonso particularly remembers the selection process from two years ago. At the time, he was ranked higher than a  Álex Ruiz  ultimately selected to play for Spain.

“Two years ago, I was ahead of a player who went to the World Cup. So while my level of play isn't the only criterion,  Why am I going to stress myself out?  Perhaps there are personal qualities that I lack and that others can bring to the team.

Huge competition in Spain

Alonso's reflection mainly illustrates the puzzle that awaits  Juanjo Gutiérrez .

Spain has a wealth of options, and Alonso is among the candidates, particularly for the right-back position. But every choice inevitably means leaving out a top-level player.

His partner  Aimar Goñi  He is also among the names being mentioned. His progress and highly offensive profile are attracting attention, to the point that... Arturo Coello recently mentioned him among the eight players he would personally select for the World Cup. .

Alonso would like to continue with Goñi in 2027

However, Goñi's rapid progress has a downside for Alonso.

The Valencian player is perfectly aware that his partner could quickly receive offers from higher-ranked players.

"I'm going to be very realistic:  Unfortunately for me, there's a strong probability that Aimar will end up receiving a call from someone very high up in the rankings.  »

Despite this possibility, Alonso would like to continue the project beyond this season.

"My wish is to finish this year with him and continue playing together next year, because I think that  His individual potential for improvement, and ours as a pair, is very significant. He is very young and possesses a great many qualities.

A statement that sums up the situation well: Alonso knows that his partner's progress could attract the best pairs, but he also believes in the potential of their association.

The top 8 is the next objective

Before thinking about 2027,  Alonso / Goñi  have one more important objective for this second part of the season: to integrate the  eight best pairs in the world .

Currently ranked at  11th rank They still need to gain several positions.

«  We need to try to finish among the top eight pairs.  "At the moment, it's very difficult because, given our ranking, the draws we'll have will be more complicated than those of the players already at the top. But that's what we're fighting for, and it's a great motivation."

Between a potential selection with Spain, the race for  top 8  and the future of his partnership with Aimar Goñi, the second half of the season is therefore shaping up to be important for Edu Alonso.

But regarding the World Cup, his approach remains clear:  Let his results on the track speak for themselves and let Juanjo Gutiérrez make the final decision. 

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !