Spain’s men’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente will reveal the squad list this Friday for upcoming matches against Scotland and Norway, a period that promises fresh developments for the group ahead of the qualifying phase of the European Championship. The announcement is set to carry the weight of crucial selections as the team prepares to reinforce its ranks for a demanding schedule.
The head coach from La Rioja will address the press in the Jose Villalonga hall at Las Rozas, Madrid, at 12:30 pm, one hour after the official channels of the Royal Spanish Football Federation share the chosen players. Those invited to the gathering will convene at the federation headquarters on Monday, the ninth of the month, to begin preparations for the fixtures under discussion.
De la Fuente faces the challenge of updating the squad due to several injury concerns that affected the group during the matches in September against Georgia and Cyprus. Key players such as Dani Olmo of RB Leipzig, Marco Asensio of Paris Saint-Germain, and Jose Luis Gaya of Valencia have not shown they are ready to contribute at this moment, given their fitness status.
The early part of the camp saw Yeremi Pino from Villarreal and Ferran Torres from FC Barcelona step in for those two injured players, taking advantage of strong recent form that suggested they could earn a continuing role with the national side. Their performances against Porto demonstrated their capability and likely influenced the coaching staff’s thinking about their places in the squad.
With the Valencian not available, the left-back position remains a topic of discussion, potentially pairing again with Alejandro Balde. Other emerging contenders include Alejandro Grimaldo, enjoying a fine spell with Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso, and Fran Garcia of Real Madrid, who may be considered as alternatives as the group moves forward.
Defensive options are expected to be stable compared with the previous selection, where Pau Torres joined the mix at Aston Villa. However, Pedri Gonzalez of Barcelona continues to be unavailable due to an injury sustained in the middle of the field. The excellent form and scoring touch of Brais Mendez from Real Sociedad may provide the coach with the chance to reintegrate him into the national team.
In attack, changes could be more noticeable. Nico Williams from Athletic Club has recovered from the injury he suffered against Cyprus and has shown resilience in returning to peak pace. Mikel Oyarzabal from Real Sociedad is nearing full fitness after a significant knee injury and could offer a familiar attacking option as the team builds its rhythm again.
Spain will host England, the leaders of Group A with a perfect record after a 2-0 defeat at Hampden Park, at La Cartuja in Seville on Thursday, October 12, at 20:45, before traveling to Oslo a few days later. The match against Norway at Ullevaal Stadium at the same kickoff time represents another direct clash between two teams battling for the two automatic spots to the continental tournament.
Additionally, before Luis de la Fuente takes the stage, Under-21 coach Santi Denia will present the list for the 2025 European Championship qualifying match against Uzbekistan and the friendly against Kazakhstan, marking the transitional phase toward the next generation of Spain’s national teams.
All selections are issued in coordination with the federation and are subject to medical clearance and the players’ fitness conditions as the team navigates a tightly scheduled set of fixtures in the European competition cycle. [Source: Royal Spanish Football Federation notices and team announcements].