The Spanish football coach, Luis de la Fuente, has announced the four omissions for the match that will take place this Sunday, November 15, against Spain and England at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, corresponding to the last round of the group stage of the Nations League. Álvaro Valles, Jacobo Ramón, Jorge de Frutos, and Roberto Fernández are the players who will be left out of the final squad, to which is added Alejandro Grimaldo, who left the team’s camp on Saturday with the national team at Las Rozas due to a flu process. The match will begin at 20:45 and can be followed live through La 1 de TVE.
De la Fuente’s decision comes after Spain’s victory over the Czech Republic last Thursday and is conditioned by the return of several players who were not available for that match. Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal have rejoined the camp and are among the 23 selected to face England, which has led the coach to do without two forwards: Jorge de Frutos, from Rayo Vallecano, and Roberto Fernández, from Espanyol. Both are left without the possibility of playing minutes in the final group-stage match, while the return of the two regular internationals strengthens the offensive options of the Spanish team.
In defense, the main novelty is the inclusion of Aymeric Laporte, one of the players who was not in the final list for the previous match. His arrival leaves out Jacobo Ramón, who also will not be able to take part in this Sunday’s match. For his part, Álvaro Valles, goalkeeper of Real Betis, again misses out on the squad, as already happened against the Czech Republic, due to the presence of Unai Simón, David Raya, and Joan Garcia among the goalkeepers chosen by the coach.
Grimaldo leaves the camp due to a flu process
The only absence for medical reasons is that of Alejandro Grimaldo, Atlético de Madrid fullback, who had to leave the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas on Saturday after presenting a febrile process. The player will not be available for the match against England, an absence that is added to the four technical omissions made by De la Fuente to complete the call-up of 23 players.
The selection faces the commitment with the peace of mind of having its qualification for the quarterfinals of the Nations League secured, after having racked up five wins in its first five matches. However, the first position in Group A3 is still at stake, an important goal for the Spanish team, as it would allow it to play at home the second leg of the quarterfinals, scheduled for March 2027. Spain only needs a draw against England to maintain the lead.
The match will also mean a new showdown between the two national teams after the one held on 26 September in Wembley, where Spain came out on top by 2-3 thanks to goals by Lamine Yamal, Álex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal. The meeting at the Metropolitano will be the thirtieth head-to-head between the two national squads and will put an end to the competition’s group stage.
Lamine Yamal recovers the number 10 shirt and Oyarzabal will wear 21
The Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) has also announced the shirt numbers of the 23 players available for the match, with Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal as the main protagonists of the key changes. The FC Barcelona player will wear the number 10, which he had used by Víctor Muñoz during the match against the Czech Republic, while the Real Sociedad forward will recover the 21. Víctor Muñoz will switch to wearing the 19, and Nico Williams, who also returns to the squad list after being left out of the previous match, will use number 17.
The final call-up is made up of David Raya (1), Marc Pubill (2), Marc Roca (3), Dean Huijsen (4), Pau Cubarsí (5), Mikel Merino (6), Ferran Torres (7), Fabián Ruiz (8), Fermín López (9), Lamine Yamal (10), Yeremy Pino (11), Pedro Porro (12), Joan Garcia (13), Aymeric Laporte (14), Álex Baena (15), Pablo Barrios (16), Nico Williams (17), Martín Zubimendi (18), Víctor Muñoz (19), Pedri (20), Mikel Oyarzabal (21), Marc Cucurella (22) and Unai Simón (23).
With these changes, Luis de la Fuente closes his squad to host England in a match in which Spain will look to complete the group stage with a full set of wins and secure first place. The return of Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal and Laporte allows the coach to bring back usual squad members for one of the most demanding appointments on the international calendar.