Spain have named a 27-man squad for the final stretch of the Nations League group stage, with three debutants, several returns and the absences of Rodri, Dani Olmo and Eric García. Luis de la Fuente has also had to plan for two matches that still matter, with Czechia in Prague on Thursday 12 November and England at the Metropolitano on Sunday 15.

Spain are unbeaten leaders on 12 points and have already secured quarter-final qualification, but first place is still to be decided. That leaves the squad announcement with some edge, even if the rotation was always likely after the previous window.

Jacobo Ramón's first call-up

Jacobo Ramón is one of the new faces, and the call-up is not a token one. He has 10 Serie A appearances this season and a 7.22 rating, while his Champions League rating is 7.06. Spain are testing a centre-back who has already handled senior football at a decent level.

Marc Roca also comes in as part of the midfield reset. With Rodri absent, his 7.13 La Liga rating gives Spain another in-form option in a role that usually runs through far more established names.

Goalkeepers and returning options

The goalkeeping group has become more crowded, which is the sharper sub-plot in this list. Joan García and Álvaro Valles return after missing the previous window because of physical problems, and Valles arrives with a 7.6 La Liga rating from 11 league starts. Joan García has 10 La Liga appearances this season and a 7.19 Champions League rating, so this is not a decorative recall.

De la Fuente has also brought back Pedro Porro, while the squad's tone was set by Spain's own message around the announcement, which said: “Football has to unite us today more than ever.” It added that the group was being named to pay tribute “where we know best: on the pitch.”

The selection still feels like a reset rather than a full rewrite, but the balance has clearly shifted. Spain go to Prague on 12 November and then host England three days later, with a squad built around fresh options as much as familiar names.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →