Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, took a moment to honor the victims of a tragic high-speed train accident and a second-division player who recently died following an on-field incident, just before he unveiled his Nations League roster on Friday. With Spain already guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, de la Fuente made several adjustments to the lineup for the upcoming matches against England and Czechia.
“We are in mourning as a nation, facing a tragedy that should never have happened,” de la Fuente commented, referring to the October 28 train disaster that resulted in 69 fatalities and over 200 injuries, marking Spain’s second significant train accident this year. He also paid tribute to Jesús de Miguel, a Tenerife player who lost his life this week after suffering a cardiac arrest due to a collision with an opposing goalkeeper.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, including our colleague Jesús de Miguel, who we tragically lost this week,” de la Fuente noted after attending de Miguel’s funeral. “We stand in solidarity with those experiencing an irreplaceable loss and the void left by bidding farewell to their loved ones.”
Spain is scheduled to face Czechia in Prague on November 12, followed by a match against England in Madrid three days later. In his squad announcement, de la Fuente called up Jacobo Ramón from Como, Marc Roca from Real Betis, and Álvaro Valles, also from Betis, for their first appearances. Notably, he also included Atlético Madrid’s Pablo Barrios and Ander Barrenetxea from Real Sociedad in a 27-player roster, while Barcelona’s Rodri and Dani Olmo were omitted due to injuries.
Spain Squad:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona), Álvaro Valles (Real Betis).
Defenders: Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atlético Madrid), Alejandro Grimaldo (Atlético Madrid), Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid), Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Jacobo Ramón (Como).
Midfielders: Pedri González (Barcelona), Fermin Lopez (Barcelona), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Pablo Barrios (Atlético Madrid), Marc Roca (Real Betis).
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Paris Saint-Germain), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Roberto Fernandez (Espanyol), Ander Barrenetxea (Real Sociedad).
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Fan Take: This news sheds light on the heartwarming human side of sports, reminding fans of the deep community connections and tragedies that resonate outside the field. Additionally, with fresh talent entering the national squad, it heralds an exciting new chapter for Spain as they prepare for critical matches.
Source: www.foxsports.com
