Six Years Later, A Legend Returns: Isco's Glorious Comeback to La Roja at 33

On May 26, Spain’s national team released its latest squad list—and one name sent shockwaves of joy through Spanish football. Isco Alarcón, at 33 years old, is back with La Roja after a staggering six-year absence. For fans who followed Isco’s meteoric rise, artistic style, and unfulfilled promise at Real Madrid, this comeback is not just a nostalgic footnote. It’s the rekindling of genius. It’s poetic justice.

A Season to Remember: Isco Reborn at Real Betis

In 2024–25, Isco produced arguably the finest season of his entire professional career. For Real Betis, the former European Golden Boy delivered 32 appearances, scoring 12 goals and dishing out 10 assists in all competitions. In La Liga alone, he tallied 9 goals and 8 assists from just 22 matches—statistically surpassing any single season during his nine-year tenure at Real Madrid, where his best campaign featured 11 goals.

He wasn't just back. He was reinvented.

At the heart of Manuel Pellegrini’s 4-2-3-1 formation, Isco thrived as the classic No.10—flanked by Assane Diao on the left and Luiz Henrique on the right. Isco’s freedom to drift, dictate tempo, and interlace short, sharp passes with creative flourishes made Betis not just competitive—but thrilling to watch. His performances were so consistently brilliant that he was awarded Man of the Match honors 19 times—more than any other player in the league.

And he wore the armband with grace and grit. As team captain, Isco led by example, including a cathartic moment when he scored against his former club, Real Madrid, in a performance that stirred both closure and celebration. Under his leadership, Betis marched into the UEFA Conference League Final, with Isco orchestrating attacks like a conductor in full command of his symphony.

Six Years, 2177 Days: The Road Back to Spain

The last time Isco represented Spain was on June 10, 2019, in a European Championship qualifier—a comfortable 3–0 victory over Sweden. He was still a Madridista then, still viewed as a mercurial talent on the fringes of greatness. But football is cruel. Injuries, managerial mistrust, and inconsistency saw him fade from both club and country.

Over the next six years, Spain's footballing landscape transformed. The veterans of Isco’s generation—Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, David de Gea—have either retired or faded away. In their place emerged a wave of fearless youngsters: Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Nico Williams. The contrast couldn’t be sharper. Isco, once the crown jewel of Spanish youth, is now the elder statesman.

But form is the ultimate language in football. And Isco’s form spoke loudly.

Despite enduring a devastating fibula fracture in May 2024 during a match against Las Palmas—which sidelined him for over 200 days—he returned in December and immediately reclaimed his role as Betis' creative lynchpin. It was a testament to both his mental fortitude and technical brilliance. No rust. No hesitation. Just vision, balance, and artistry.

Luis de la Fuente’s Bold Gamble

Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente has shown a willingness to blend experience with youth. The inclusion of Isco in this June’s UEFA Nations League semifinal against France is more than a reward for form—it’s a strategic masterstroke.

In a squad brimming with raw talent, Isco brings something rare: footballing wisdom. He understands the tempo of knockout football. He knows what it means to wear the Spanish shirt in high-stakes environments. His inclusion could provide the rhythm and stability Spain sometimes lacks when relying solely on youth.

If he starts—or even features off the bench—against France on June 6, it will mark a new chapter in his international story. Not a footnote. A fresh beginning.

Artistic Resilience: Why Isco’s Return Resonates

Isco has never been the fastest, strongest, or most marketable player. He never leaned into the celebrity culture that surrounds modern football. What he has always possessed is a poet’s touch, a dancer’s balance, and an uncanny ability to make football look easy.

To see that artistry pushed aside for years was heartbreaking for purists. But his return is a statement—for players, fans, and the sport itself—that elegance still has a place. That resilience, patience, and self-belief can outlast narrative.

Few players have ever embodied the archetype of the flawed genius like Isco. Too good to be benched, too unpredictable to be trusted blindly, too unique to be molded into a system player. But now, at 33, he’s found the balance. He’s become what football hoped he would be: a leader, a creator, and finally, a man at peace with his game.

Commentary

This isn’t just a comeback. It’s a triumph of identity over ideology.

In an era dominated by pressing metrics, speed, and physical data, Isco is a reminder of what football once was—and can still be. A game of the mind. A sport where the pause, the feint, the perfectly weighted pass are as valuable as the sprint or the tackle.

To see Isco return to La Roja after 2177 days, having passed through the fires of injury, doubt, and obscurity, is not just a feel-good story. It’s a cultural moment. It tells every player written off too early that time can be an ally, not just a countdown.

If Spain are to rise again—not just win, but inspire—they’ll need both the fearlessness of youth and the wisdom of reborn legends. Isco, with the No.22 on his back and a second chance in his heart, is ready to help them do both.

Welcome back, maestro. The stage missed you.