La Roja are currently at Las Rozas preparing for an international break. Spain play Albania on Saturday evening before taking on Iceland next Tuesday in two friendlies that will be key for Luis Enrique in striking the right tone ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
The Asturian is keen to ensure that the group he takes with him to Qatar will be as cohesive and tight as possible and for that has underlined the importance of taking both friendlies seriously. He has, however, sprung a surprise in his squad selection by calling up Brentford goalkeeper David Raya for the first time ever.
Raya, 26, was born in Barcelona but has spent his entire senior career in England having moved there at 16 to play for Blackburn Rovers after a stint with UE Cornella.
He broke into Blackburn’s first team in 2015 after a short loan at Stockport and remained there until he secured a move to Brentford in 2019. He’s played 19 Premier League games for them this year, conceding 18 goals and keeping five sheets, evidently catching Luis Enrique’s eye.
“It was always an objective that I had, to represent Spain,” Raya told Marca in an exclusive interview. “But hey, when they tell you, you don’t believe it. It’s a strange feeling to wonder whether they’re joking or not. But when Thomas Frank said it in front of the whole world I knew it was real.
“I understand [why it was a big surprise in Spain]. I left here when I was 16 years old and it’s normal that many people didn’t keep up with my progress or who I was. I’ve played almost all my life in the Championship and I came from the bottom, from playing in the fifth division. That’s the beauty of football. I hope that now many people know my story and where I come from.
“I’m not one to close doors [on a potential return to Spain in the future]. You have to look at opportunities and see what options are the right ones. I won’t close the door to playing in La Liga at all. What’s more, I’d really like to be able to experience Spanish football. But I’m really enjoying things at Brentford and in the Premier League. Football will tell.”
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