There is nothing left; On the horizon is the most important event in world football and the Spanish team has put an end to its two dress rehearsals in the friendlies it played against Serbia and Egypt, the last tests on Spanish territory before heading to next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The sensations that La Roja has left are good in general terms, although the great souffle of favorite after the comfortable victory against Serbia (3-0) has been lowered after 0-0 against the African team this Tuesday at the RCDE Stadium.
They have been two duels without any significance in terms of football, but they have served for Luis de la Fuente to configure the list of the 26 men who will head to the World Cup event. In the call that was announced ten days ago, the coach introduced new faces and heavyweights were left out of the locker room that lifted the European Cup two years ago in Germany.
The national coach surprised with four new faces on the penultimate list of 27 players. Christian Mosqueraclaimed by Colombia, Ander Barrenetxea, Victor Muñoz y Joan Garciawho arrived as Spain’s fourth goalkeeper along with Unai Simón, David Raya and Álex Remiro.
Luis de la Fuente, questioned in the press conference after the call for the call-up of the FC Barcelona goalkeeper, responded that “now was the right time.” A moment that did not come in the duel against Serbia was the player who was left without a number.
De la Fuente has no doubts in goal
A gesture with which the coach wanted to send a clear message, the arrival of Joan García to La Roja was not going to mean changes nor was it going to generate controversies with his starting goalkeeper, Unai Simónwho played from the start against the Balkan team.
In fact, there were few experiments in that starting eleven proposed by the coach, in what could perfectly have been the starting line-up for the World Cup debut that will have Spain on June 15 against Cape Verde.
In addition to a goal occupied by Athletic’s goal and the undisputed starter with De la Fuente, the central positions went to Cubarsi and Laportethe couple that aims to be the starter in the World Cup. The left back has his own name, Cucurella, who has established himself in the national team and has established himself as one of the best in the world in his position.
The right back was given against Serbia to Llorente, a versatile player who is useful for other tasks. That position will be more disputed, since Pedro Porro is also running as a starter, although it seems that it will depend on the type of team in front of him and the position is shaping up to be one of those that will be rotated the most.
Precisely, the owner of that position in the recent past, Dani Carvajal, is not part of the plans of the selector. The Real Madrid full-back barely has any minutes in his club, under the command of Álvaro Arbeloa, which is making his presence on the final list very complicated, in addition to the fact that, if he does enter, it will be very difficult for him to be a starter due to the lack of filming that Leganés is having since his serious knee injury at the beginning of last season. Nor does it make the situation any easier that he is a 34-year-old veteran.
Rodri recovers his role
Unlike the Madrid player, the one who has re-entered Haro’s coach’s plans is Rodrigo Hernandezwho like his teammate, suffered a serious knee injury last season, but unlike Carvajal, he has been gradually entering the plans of Guardiola’s City, where he has once again become the reference he was before his injury.
With this call, De la Fuente has confirmed that The Spanish ‘Ballon d’Or’ will be one of the undisputed headlines in the center of the field next to the ‘brain’ of this team, Pedri. The canary is, without a doubt, an indisputable player in every game. His superior quality and vision of the game make him a footballer who makes a difference.
Rodri Hernádez is once again important in the national team. EFE
And another one that is not in question, even though he missed the last calls due to pubalgia, is Lamine Yamalfranchise player both in Barcelona and in the national team, at 18 years old, he will turn 19 in the World Cup if things go well for Spain, as already happened at Euro 2024.
With the right end covered with the Catalan pearl, doubts extend to the left, where Nico Williams was owner and lord until the pubalgia this season, which is preventing him from having continuity and good performance in Athletic. The Basque footballer has not been included in a call-up since last September, for the first World Cup qualifying matches.
Víctor Muñoz, the great discovery that points to the World Cup
In his place, Baena was chosen against Serbia to take his place. He also made his debut that same day at the Estadio de la Cerámica Víctor Muñoz, one of the sensations of the League and that he has earned De la Fuente’s call. The player scored a goal and showed very good attitudes towards the final call, with a versatility in the attack that makes him differential. He can enter from the left, from the right, play as a midfielder and assume the role of scorer with guarantees.
Precisely, the figure of the midfielder, with another of the regulars injured, Mikel Merinoit seems that he is beginning to have another name of his own, that of Fermín. The Barcelona player is having a great season and is settling into Flick’s ‘eleven’, although it is another of the positions where there could be more alternation in the World Cup.
Víctor Muñoz scored on his debut for Spain in the duel against Serbia. EFE
In addition to the absence of Mikel Merino, the absence of Fabián stands out, a great starter with PSG who has not been part of Luis de la Fuente’s plans in recent times due to physical problems, but like Nico, he has a lot of chances to be on the final list. Another guarantor of this position is Dani Olmo, the eternal substitute who serves to liven up Spain’s game in the second half, the same role he has this season for Barça.
Where there is no doubt is in the person in charge of scoring the goals. Oyarzabal has become, on its own meritsin Spain’s starting striker, after increasing call by call, until taking the position from Morata who has a very difficult time being in the World Cup.
The blessed problem of Luis de la Fuente
In the match against Egypt, the Spanish coach showed that he has a blessed problem. You could line up up to three different teams and all three would be competitive. In goal he decided to start David Raya, in another demonstration that Joan García counts for him, but that it will not be a point of contention within the concentration.
The Barça goalkeeper, Now yes, he finally debuted with La Rojaby occupying the goal in the second half. The center of the defense went to an unprecedented pairing, the one formed by Huijsen and the also debutant Mosquera, the latter left a very good feeling and showed his physical power in set-piece actions.
The right side went to Pedro Porro and the left side to Grimaldo. The midfield was also new, with Fornals and Carlos Soler leading the team. Barrenetxea made his debut on the left wing, the midfielder went to Dani Olmo and the lead went to Ferran. Just repeated from start with the undisputed Lamine Yamal. In the second half, Yeremi Pino, Borja Iglesias and, again, Víctor Muñoz also had their minutes.
Although the match against Egypt, a team that will be in the World Cup, did not leave any great football moments and even created some doubt regarding the team’s effectiveness, it served as a good test bed to evaluate the alternatives and how to use them when things get complicated in the World Cup next summer. The countdown has begun.
