2010 World Cup, 2008 & 2012 Euros, 2021 UEFA League of Nation Runner-Up, 6 Times FIFA Team of the Year. Spain National Football Team or "La Roja" or "La Furia Roja" as they are popularly known is a team of the biggest names and even bigger variables. In their history, they have only won 1 World Cup even after having some of the best teams. Apart from the 2010 success, the next best have been 4th place finish at 1950 World Cup and 5th place finish at 1934 and 2002 World Cup. In 22 editions, they have only managed to host once in 1982 where they finished 12th. Even with those numbers, 2 of the biggest clubs with the highest number of combined UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid, and Barcelona are based out of Spain. Anyhow, with the managerial brain of Luis Enrique, everyone would hope for wonders or miracles which could take them to glory. They are placed in group E alongside the favorites Germany, Japan, and Costa Rica.
With several senior players on the side, they will look to guide the players while the younger ones will look to relive the history of their predecessors. Here is our squad of 26 that could travel to Qatar:
Goalkeeper
Our Pick: Unai Simon
26 years old Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper has been the number 1 choice for both his club and country for a while now. In the 11 matches so far for both club & country, he has kept 5 Clean Sheets and conceded only 9 goals. He has proven again and again why he is trusted over David de Gea, whom he has managed to keep out of the team 26 times now. While he manages to be the no. 1 at the World Cup as well, his 2 deputies will be Brentford's David Raya and Brighton's Robert Sanchez, as Luis Enrique entrusts them over Manchester United's Shot stopper who, to be honest, has his fair share of mistakes, and after the terrible 2018 World Cup, I couldn't see him making the side again unless for a testimonial.
The veteran Goalkeeper has 45 caps for the nation, he made his debut back in 2014 making the final squad to Brazil where he was the third-choice goalkeeper behind the legendary Iker Casillas and Pepe Reina. Even though, they lost in the group stages while David de Gea didn't make the starting XI in either of the game during the tournament. In the following 2016 Euro, he was the starting goalkeeper under former manager Vincent Del Bosque. He kept 2 clean sheets against Czech Republic & Turkey, but conceded twice against Croatia and eventually Italy, going out in the Round of 16. During the 2020 Euro, he lost his place to Unai Simon, being on the bench for the whole tournament. Last season and his lack of ball-playing skills, penalty records, and several errors with the club haven't made any positive for his case either. Other names we will be snubbing from the squad would be Veteran Pepe Reina who's still playing, believe it or not for La Liga side Villarreal now aged 40. Another name is Barcelona B captain Arnau Tenas who is only 20 years old and was on the bench against Iceland back on 29th March 2022. He has a long way to go with the age on his side, and if any compliment, he is quite good. Other names are Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga, Barcelona's second choice Iñaki Peña, RCD Espanyol's Álvaro Fernández Llorente, Genoa's Josep Martínez, and Marseille's Pau López.
UEFA League of Nations Update: Unai Simon started against Portugal keeping a clean sheet in the last game before the World Cup. His two deputies were Robert Sanchez and David Raya. They'll be the three in November as well unless an injury happens during the course.
Defenders
Our Pick: Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Pau Torres, Jordi Alba
One of the oldest players in the squad would be in the defense. Sergio Ramos Garcia, at 36 years of age will be playing the 5th World Cup with the 2006 World Cup being his first when following the retirement of Michael Salgado, he made the position his own. Even thou he played the first 2 World Cups as a Right Back, this time he will be going as one half of the center-back pairing. One of two players from the 2010 World Cup winning squad will look to guide the youngsters to the 2nd World Cup in Spanish history. He is also the highest-capped Spanish player with 180 caps and the 9th highest goal scorer with 23 goals. Paired with him would be the youngster Pau Torres. At just 25 years of age, Villarreal's defender has already earned 20 caps for La Roja and managed 1 goal as well. With 108 La Liga appearances, 12 UEFA Champions League appearances, and 10 UEFA Europa League with him winning the latter against Manchester United in the 2020/21 season, he isn't short on experience nor short on height, standing 6'3", his job would stop all the aerial duels he can. On the flanks would be two of the best Full Back, this generation has witnessed. 442 Career Games, 11 goals, 74 assists, 5 UCL, 4 CWC, 4 UEFA Super Cup, 3 La Liga, and 1 Spanish Cup Winner... if that doesn't tell you about the CV of 30-year-old right-back Dani Carvajal, nothing would. What seems to be forever, he is only 30 years old and capable of making it to another 2 World Cups if he continues to be the best. On the left side, with 579 Career Games, 35 goals, and 102 assists, add in another 10 goals for the country, 1 Euro, 1 UCL, 1 CWC, 5 CDR, and 5 La Liga. Rivals off the pitch, teammates on the pitch, 33-year-old Catalonian isn't any less than his Los Blancos partner. But, unlike Dani, Jordi Alba has seen a significant amount of downfall in the last couple of seasons. But, he is a starter here for the La Roja, undoubtedly.
Other names who could be cut would be Chelsea's Captain César Azpilicueta who was recently linked to moving away with rumors linking him to Camp Nou, Leeds United's Diego Llorente, Valencia's duo Hugo Guillamón and José Gayà, and Barcelona's youngster Eric Garcia.
The names we will be snubbing are Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte who changed his alliances from France to Spain after not getting enough game time would be snubbed here as well, Athletic Bilbao's Iñigo Martínez, Barcelona's Marcos Alonso who made his move from Stamford Bridge to Camp Nou this season, Celta Vigo's Óscar Mingueza, Villarreal's Jorge Cuenca, Atletico Madrid's Sergio Reguilón, Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, Barcelona's Hector Bellerin & Sergio Roberto, and Sporting's Pedro Porro.
UEFA League of Nation Update: In the win over Portugal, Luis Enrique played José Gayà, Hugo Guillamón, Pau Torres, and Dani Carvajal with Sergio Busquets replacing Hugo Guillamón at halftime.
Midfielders
Our Pick: Pedri, Rodri, Sergio Busquets
The second player in the team who has won the World Cup is Sergio Busquets. He went from being considered lucky to be playing for Barcelona with the likes of Xavi and Iniesta to being the Captain and one of the best defensive midfielders. Busquets was selected by manager Vicente del Bosque for the 2010 World Cup, he played all of the tournament's games and minutes for the eventual world champions, save the last 30 minutes of the 0–1 group-stage loss against Switzerland in Durban. He finished the tournament with the third–highest pass success rate, alongside his teammate Puyol, completing 88% of his passes. At UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, Busquets played every minute as Spain won the title, and he was named in the Team of the Tournament. He played 2018 World Cup, followed by UEFA 2020 Euro as the Captain, where he missed the first two games due to isolation, but gave MOTM performances against Slovakia and Croatia while also converting his goal against Switzerland in a Penalty Shootout that Spain eventually lost. During the UEFA 2021 League of Nations Final against France, he assisted the first goal scored by Mikel which Spain eventually lost 2-1 but he was voted as Player of the Finals award. With 710 games for Barcelona and 138 games for Spain, La Roja's 3rd highest capped player would love to lead his side towards victory. Along with him will be 2 of the future of La Roja, Rodri and Pedri. 19-year-old Pedri already has 13 caps for Spain, 83 career games for Barcelona and Las Palmas including 17 games in European Games, scoring 10 goals and 7 assists, and has been touted to become one of the best Spanish players of this generation and probably all time. Pedri is a quick, intelligent, creative, and hard-working player, who is known for his excellent technical skills, ball control, passing, awareness, and vision, as well as his ability to manage himself in tight spaces, exploit gaps, and play the final ball or penetrating passes, which makes him an effective playmaker. His slight frame, qualities, position, and playing style have led him to be compared to former Barcelona players such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Michael Laudrup, and Lionel Messi. The third name in the midfield who will be occupying the role of deep-lying playmaker alongside Busquets would be Manchester City's Rodri. Already praised highly by Pep Guardiola, he has proven his mantle by quickly replacing Citizen legend Fernandinho since his from Atletico Madrid for £63.5 million - a club record at the time back in 2019. He started his career at Villarreal academy before being promoted to their B squad and then later to their senior squad in 2015 aged only 19 years old. At the Etihad Stadium, since his move has already made 161 appearances with 13 goals. and 11 assists. With 334 career appearances scoring 20 goals and 18 assists in his career already.
Other names in the squad will be Spain's youngest goalscorer Gavi. He scored his first goal for the national team at just 17 years and 304 days. At just 18 years of age, he will be one of the youngest players at the 2022 World Cup. Graham Hunter of ESPN hailed Gavi as a highly promising young player in 2021, comparing him to former Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andrés Iniesta due to his qualities as a footballer, including his dribbling, anticipation, intelligence, vision, passing, first touch, close control, change of pace, and ability to turn quickly to get out of tight spaces and initiate counter-attacks. He will be a key player on Luis Enrique's side. La Masia wunderkind has already made 55 career appearances for Barcelona's senior team scoring 2 goals and 6 assists. Other names would be Atletico Madrid's captain Koke and most versatile player Marcos Llorente who could play anywhere except in Goal, or could he, and Paris St. Germain's Carlos Soler.
The names we are snubbing are Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara, Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino and Brais Méndez, West Ham's Pablo Fornals, and AC Milan's youngster Brahim Diaz.
UEFA League of Nations Update: Koke, Rodri, and Carlos Soler started in the midfield in a 4-3-3 formation with Sergio Busquets replacing Hugo at half-time, Gavi replaced Koke and Pedri replaced Carlos Soler in the 60th minute.
Forwards
Our Pick: Ferran Torres, Alvaro Morata, Pablo Sarabia
With Mikel Oyarzabal out injured, the most experienced player in the frontline would be Atletico Madrid's Alvaro Morata. 57 Caps, 27 Goals, and 6th on the All-Time Scorer list, and add in another 3 goals, he will be 5th above Fernando Hierro. In his club career, he has played 504 games for several clubs across Europe including Real Madrid, Atletico de Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea scoring 183 goals and 76 assists. He has been infamous for missing a lot of open chances similar to No.9 before him, Fernando Torres. Along with him on the wings will be PSG's Pablo Sarabia, another Real Madrid academy graduate, who has been playing his trade with PSG in France. In 477 club career matches, he has scored 116 goals and assisted 86 times. While for the national team, in 24 games he has scored 9 times. On the other side of the flank would be Barcelona's, Ferran Torres. Unlike his countrymen, he is only 22 years old. Valencia Academy Graduate played with Valencia's senior team before making the transfer move to Manchester City and eventually Camp Nou. In 185 club games, he scored 34 goals and 28 assists while for La Roja, in 30 caps he has 13 goals. We will believe that up front, they wouldn't and couldn't disappoint.
Other names would be Athletic Bilbao's youngster Nico Williams, Real Betis's Borja Iglesias, Real Madrid's Marco Asensio, Villarreal's Jeremy Pina, and if Mikel Oyarzabal is fit again, it could be him as well.
The names we will snub are Barcelona's wonder kid Ansu Fati who was cleared by Luis Enrique and won't be making the trip due to lack of game time, Rayo Vallecano's Raúl de Tomás, and Leed United's Rodrigo.
UEFA League of Nations Update: Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres, and Alvaro Morata started against Portugal with Yeremi Santos replacing Pablo Sarabia in the 61st minute and Nico Williams replacing Ferran Torres who eventually assisted Alvaro Morata's goal in the 88th minute to secure them the win and final place berth.
Spain will face Netherlands in the UEFA League of Nations Final, while this one is confirmed, with their current form of last matches in which they won 2, draw 2 and lost 1 to Switzerland with 7 goals scored and 5 goals conceded, their chances might be high and mighty but they're someone who can do miracles anytime. They won't be favorites in the book, but the real dark horse.
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