The 29-year-old from near Cadiz is something of a late bloomer, graduating from Valencia's youth academy before unremarkable stints at Barcelona, where he mostly played in the reserves, Benfica and Granada.
His performances since joining Celta in 2013 earned him his first Spain cap in November last year and after coming on as a substitute he set up Santi Cazorla to score La Roja's second goal in Friday's 2-0 friendly win against England.
Nolito, whose full name is Manuel Agudo Duran, is most dangerous darting in off the left wing, as Real Madrid learned to their cost in La Liga last month when he scored a stunning goal against them.
He was also the main architect of Celta's 4-1 thrashing of champions Barca in September and could be just the tool Del Bosque needs to unlock stubborn defences at Euro 2016.
Spain, who will be chasing an unprecedented third straight continental triumph at the tournament finals in France next year, typically face ultra-defensive opponents and Nolito has the skills to counter such tactics.
Reports in Spain have suggested Barca, who also regularly come up against massed defences, will attempt to lure Nolito back in the January transfer window.
Speaking to reporters at Spain's training base outside Madrid ahead of Tuesday's friendly in Belgium, Nolito, who once earned 30 euros ($32) a week as a butcher's apprentice, said he was happy to operate in whichever position Del Bosque wanted.
"I will play wherever the boss says," he said on Sunday. "Every time I play I feel more comfortable. I am at his disposal."
Spain and Belgium were two of the form teams in Euro 2016 qualifying, with the holders recovering from an early defeat to top Group C and the Belgians, number one in the latest FIFA rankings, winning Group B.
Centre back Marc Bartra said the Spain players were not concerned about security in Brussels following Friday's attacks in Paris.
"If we are travelling it's because there is security," he told reporters. "We are not concerned."
($1 = 0.9285 euros)
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Toby Davis)
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