Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Three unproven Spain players could secure World Cup spots by impressing Luis Enrique this month

sportsmole.co.uk, 21 September 2022, 09:30
Spain will take on Switzerland and Portugal in the UEFA Nations League on September 24 and September 27 respectively, but it would be fair to say that their focus is firmly on the 2022 World Cup.

Luis Enrique's side will open their tournament against Costa Rica on November 23 before also taking on Germany and Japan in the group stage of the competition.

La Roja won the World Cup in 2010 but have not made an impression in their last two tournaments, going out in the group stage in 2014 before only reaching the round of 16 four years later.

Enrique has insisted that "the door is not closed to any Spanish player" at this stage, with the 52-year-old yet to make a final decision on his squad for the World Cup.

However, Sports Mole looks at three players who could potentially secure their spots at the 2022 competition by putting in strong performances this month.

Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

Nico Williams is in the Spain squad for the first time, with the 20-year-old rewarded for his strong start to the season with Athletic Bilbao.

The attacker has scored twice and provided two assists in six La Liga appearances this term, playing a key role in his side's impressive beginning to the 2022-23 campaign.

At this moment in time, Spain are not blessed with a number of top-quality right-sided attackers, and there is every chance that Williams could sneak into the squad.

The youngster would need to keep impressing for Athletic, and indeed take his chance in the upcoming Nations League fixtures, but there is a spot open in the squad for Williams, who would certainly give La Roja a dangerous option off the bench.

Borja Iglesias (Real Betis)

Raul de Tomas is back out of favour, and there are not too many true centre-forwards for Enrique to choose from in Spain, so it was not a surprise that Borja Iglesias was included in the latest squad.

At 29, he is hardly a long-term option, but it would have been difficult for Enrique to ignore the powerful striker considering his form for Real Betis.

Iglesias scored 19 times during an impressive 2021-22 campaign at club level, while he has struck six goals and registered one assist in six La Liga appearances this term.

There was a time when Spain had some of the best strikers in world football but that is no longer the case, and Enrique will want a different option to Alvaro Morata in the final third.

Should Iglesias take the chance to impress in the upcoming games with Switzerland and Portugal then there is every chance that he will be on the plane to the World Cup.

Yeremi Pino (Villarreal)

Unlike Williams and Iglesias, Pino has already represented Spain, turning out for the senior side on four occasions, contributing one goal in the process.

The 19-year-old is in the latest squad alongside the likes of Morata, Ferran Torres, Marco Asensio, Pablo Sarabia, Iglesias and Williams, and he will also be determined to be on the plane to the World Cup.

Pino's ability to operate in a number of different forward positions makes him an attractive proposition for Enrique, and the attacker has again been a regular for Villarreal this season, making eight appearances, contributing one goal and one assist in the process.

He has played a lot of football for a teenager, representing the Yellow Submarine on 85 occasions in all competitions and has experience of top-level European football in the Champions League.

Pino was on the scoresheet for Spain in the friendly with Iceland back in March, and he should be given another chance to impress in the games with Switzerland and Portugal.

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly joined the race for Atalanta BC attacker Ademola Lookman, with the Red Devils potentially battling Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fortuna Sittard will be looking to secure a fourth home win on the bounce when they take on Twente at the Offermans Joosten Stadion in round 13 of the Eredivisie on Saturday. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Monaco vs. Brest (Friday, 6.00pm) The first game in Ligue 1 since the final international break of 2024 will see Monaco welcome Brest to the Stade Louis II on Friday night. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly told Mykhaylo Mudryk that he is still in their first-team plans ahead of the January transfer window. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was close to joining Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night.