Pablo Fornals — remember him? The hardworking, often-overlooked Spaniard whose talent seemed forever caged under West Ham’s rigid tactical leash — is now strutting around La Liga like he owns it. While Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham couldn’t find a single shot on target against Arsenal, Fornals was in Spain dishing out assists like a tapas waiter on commission.
According to sources, Real Betis fans are calling him the soul of their midfield. And honestly, they’re not exaggerating. In just a few months, Pablo Fornals has evolved from “nice squad option” to “statistical deity.” Across Europe’s top five leagues, he ranks fourth for shot-creating passes, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with names like Mbappé and Pedri. Not bad for a guy sold for less than the price of a mid-range London apartment.
How Pablo Fornals Became the Complete Midfielder
If you told West Ham fans last year that Pablo Fornals would become one of Europe’s best box-to-box midfielders, they’d probably have laughed harder than at a VAR decision in their favor. But here we are — Fornals is not just reinventing himself; he’s redefining what midfield balance looks like.
He defends. He presses. Pablo even scores. And when he’s not doing any of that, he’s bending in trivela passes that make Luka Modrić blush. In Betis’ 2-1 victory over Espanyol, Fornals controlled a high ball with the elegance of a flamenco dancer and split the defense with a pass so perfect it probably deserves its own museum wing.
According to sources, Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini (yes, that guy) has given Fornals complete creative freedom — something he never quite found in London. The result? He made five goal contributions in four matches and was ranked in the eighth percentile in Europe in end of third passing in the elite leagues.
Pablo Fornals is everything West Ham require (but lack).
Meanwhile, in East London, the men of Nuno Espirito Sant are playing like they do not know that playing football is about making goals. Compact? Sure. Organized? Maybe. Threatening? Absolutely not. It is like one is witnessing someone being extremely fastidious when he assembles IKEA furniture but never sits in them.
West Ham badly needs the Fornals-esque presence, someone to receive the ball, look forward, and do something before the opposition defense is done with their morning coffee before the other players. Rather, the Hammers are dependent on sideways passes and attempts of long balls of hope, as a band that attempts to play jazz without knowing anything on the chords.
Author’s Opinion: West Ham Let a Gem Slip Through Their Fingers
Let’s be honest — West Ham fans should feel a pang of regret every time Pablo Fornals’ name trends on Spanish Twitter. Selling him for £6.8 million was football’s version of trading your old PlayStation for a packet of crisps, only to realize later it was a limited-edition console.
Fornals isn’t just thriving; he’s glowing — like a man liberated from tactical purgatory. His displays in Real Betis verify what most people had always predicted: he possesses not only the right system; he is the best. And looking at him now you cannot help but question what could have happened had West Ham not chained up his creativity.
The Pablo Fornals Renaissance
Pablo Fornals’ form isn’t a fluke. It’s a statement. According to sources, Betis are gunning for a Champions League spot, and Fornals is the engine driving them there. He’s outpassing, outplaying, and outclassing Europe’s biggest stars — and doing it with the kind of understated grace that makes stat nerds swoon and old-school purists nod in approval.
While West Ham fans are left reminiscing about “what ifs,” Fornals is busy turning La Liga pitches into his personal playground. It is poetic justice – the midfielder who was being accused of inconsistency is now a model of perfection.
Then this is the lesson, everyone, the grass is green, sometimes, and with the water of ambition, freedom, and a touch of Spanish sunshine, the grass grows greener.
