Luis de la Fuente named a 26-man Spain World Cup squad with a Barcelona-heavy composition and no players from Real Madrid. The coach said the Spain badge ranks above any club crest and that selection focuses on sporting considerations and pride in representing the national team. He rejected the idea that excluding Real Madrid players would cost support, emphasizing a united nation and Spanish players who want to represent their country. Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among Real Madrid names left out. Spain’s squad includes eight Barcelona-based players, while seven called up are based in the Premier League. Spain begins Group H against Cape Verde, then faces Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
"Luis de la Fuente has stressed that Spain's badge outranks any club crest after naming a World Cup squad with a distinctly Barcelona hue and, for the first time, no Real Madrid player in sight. The European champions head into next month's tournament among the favourites, with coach De la Fuente's 26-man squad built around eight Barcelona players and none from the Spanish capital's biggest club, bringing the fierce El Clasico rivalry into the national team's debate."
"For me, the greatest team there is the very greatest is the Spanish national team, De la Fuente said during a breakfast with media representatives organised by Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE. I don't look at where players come from or their background. What matters are Spanish players who are proud to represent their country's national team and to be part of a united nation."
"The manager said sporting considerations alone guided his selection, even if squad decisions inevitably carried a subjective element. The day I make a mistake, fail to make the right choice, or act in a way that might be beneficial just to get a result, I'm putting my job on the line, he said."
"Barcelona's contingent comprises Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are based in the Premier League. Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the Real Madrid names to miss out on a team chasing Spain's second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]