FOOTBALL – Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has called up four new players to his Spain squad that won the World Cup in July, as Barcelona duo Gavi and Joan Garcia were left out.
Espanyol forward Roberto Fernandez and Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez have received their first call-ups.
Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen returns to the squad after missing out on their World Cup victory.
Fermin Lopez has also been selected by de la Fuente after injury prevented him from being part of the World Cup.
Garcia sustained a knee injury on Wednesday night, and Barcelona have not provided a return date for their goalkeeper.
Gavi would have missed the first game of the Nations League had he been selected, as he serves a one-game suspension for unsporting behaviour during the World Cup final.
Celta Vigo forward Borja Iglesias was the third player from the World Cup squad to miss out, while Marcos Llorente has retired.
Spain take on England at Wembley to start their Nations League campaign, followed by ties with Croatia, the Czech Republic and then Croatia again during the upcoming international break.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold has been recalled to the England squad, manager Thomas Tuchel said yesterday as he named his first selection since the World Cup.
Real Madrid’s Alexander-Arnold had not featured for England since June 2025 and returns after more than a year out of the international set-up, with Tuchel favouring other options at right back.
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele and Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott were also included in the squad and could make their England debuts.
Scott trained with England before the World Cup but did not play in their warm-up friendlies.
Tuchel made 10 changes from the 26-man World Cup squad.
Cole Palmer and Lewis Hall return alongside Alexander-Arnold, while the experienced pair Jordan Henderson and John Stones miss out.
Elsewhere, Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in new Portugal manager Jorge Jesus’ first 25-man roster for the defending champions’ upcoming four Nations League matches.
New France coach Zinedine Zidane unveiled his highly anticipated first squad yesterday for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, naming several new faces, including Liverpool centre back Jeremy Jacquet, who has impressed in his debut season at Anfield.
Zidane enjoyed a glittering managerial career at former club Real Madrid, leading the Spanish side to three successive Champions League titles.
Similar success will be expected with France, who boast some of football’s most gifted players, as they build up to the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup.
Goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, defenders Jacquet and Andy Diouf, midfielder Lucas Da Cunha and forward Esteban Lepaul were among the players given their first senior call-ups by Zidane.