Pablo Fornals is still extremely open about his love for West Ham despite being a Real Betis player.

He might not have been at the club for a massive amount of time, he might not have been the most gifted player at the club, but Pablo Fornals will live on long in the hearts of West Ham fans.

Very few players from abroad are able to throw themselves into what it means to be a Hammer quite like Fornals did. From day one, he knew what it meant to wear the shirt and he showed it. He did this by putting everything he had into his game, working harder than any other player, and having a great relationship with the fans.

Since leaving the club, the Spaniard has continued to be extremely open about what the club means to him, and he’s done so again in a heartwarming interview with The Athletic. “When I needed love during hard moments, the club was there for me. I’m so grateful I was there during one of the most successful moments of the club’s history. We qualified three years in a row for Europe, won a trophy and the fans have a chant for me,” he explained.

“I had interest from another Premier League team, but there’s no way I could join another club in England. It would feel weird playing against the club I love. If it’s not West Ham, there’s no chance. It could be City, Man United, I can’t do it.”

“One of the best moments of my life was my team-mates singing my chant at my wedding. My wife and family didn’t know the words but they were dancing with Michail and others. When I say I can’t play for another club in England, this is why.”

“I watch every match. If it clashes with my games, I watch the highlights. My son loves West Ham and always does the Irons sign. The other day we played Getafe and he wanted to wear a West Ham shirt, instead of the Real Betis jersey.”

Over the years, Pablo gave us fans some really special moments, and there’s some that will stick with him for the rest of his life. “I have lots of happy memories,” he stated, “like my first goal against Liverpool. Other moments I won’t forget are the night we beat Liverpool 3-2 at home, the wins against Lyon, Sevilla and David Martin’s debut.”

“I thought I would start against AZ and I didn’t. I was p*ssed off. I told people, ‘I will score in front of the fans when I come on.’ Once I put the ball through the defenders legs, I knew I would score. It was one of those ‘I did it’ moments. I cried.”

“I had a bit of momentum leading up to the final but I was on the bench again. We won and that’s the most important thing but I remember I sent a voice note to my agent saying, ‘I played 10 minutes but I don’t f***ing care, we are European champions!’.”

Not only has he got love for the East London faithful, but it’s more than reciprocated. Everywhere he goes he feels the love of the claret and blue army, something that doesn’t go unnoticed. “80% of comments on my Instagram are West Ham fans. When I first arrived in England, I could hardly speak the language. Look at me now, I’m a cockney boy! Maybe the fans might forget about me, but West Ham will always be in my heart. It’s beautiful.”

“The other day, we played Alaves, a West Ham fan was in the crowd and I gave him my shirt after. I’ve been on holiday in Ibiza, San Diego in America and have bumped into fans. We’re with each other, EVERYWHERE WE GO!”

Fornals is proof that you don’t need to spend your whole career at a club, or be a world-beater, to become a legend. You’d struggle to find a more universally loved player amongst West Ham fans, and he’s someone that will forever be one of our own.