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Spain coach De la Fuente offers 'full support' to people of Ceuta / Photo: © AFP/File
Spain coach De la Fuente offers 'full support' to people of Ceuta
Spain's World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente said on Friday he wanted to offer the people of Ceuta his "full support", as the north African exclave grapples with a migration crisis.
More than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in a chaotic surge, leaving scores dead and sparked European Union infighting over the sensitive topic of immigration.
Immigration has emerged as one of Spain's dominant political issues in recent months, and the debate has increasingly spilled into football ahead of next year's parliamentary elections.
On Tuesday, France stars Kylian Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate and Brazil striker Vinicius Junior, all of whom play for Real Madrid, rolled up pre-match t-shirts bearing the words "We are all Ceutans", sparking outrage from conservative and far-right politicians in the country, before their league win over Elche.
"I'm not forgetting our compatriots in Ceuta, who are in a very difficult situation," De la Fuente told reporters as he announced his squad for four upcoming Nations League games.
"I hope they will be able to get back to normal life as soon as possible, I offer them my full support," the 65-year-old added after appearing in a Spanish football federation video filmed in Ceuta.
De la Fuente handed uncapped Espanyol striker Roberto Fernandez a call-up to his first squad since lifting the World Cup in July.
Fernandez, 24, has scored six goals in six La Liga games so far this season, putting him behind only Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Mbappe in the goalscoring charts.
Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez received his first senior call-up, although he did win a full international cap when Spain's under-21 squad filled in for a friendly against Lithuania in 2021, when the senior side had to go into Covid isolation.
Barca 'keeper Joan Garcia is injured and is one of four players missing from the World Cup squad, alongside the retired Marcos Llorente, forward Borja Iglesias and Barcelona midfielder Gavi.
Fermin Lopez, who has scored four La Liga goals this season for Barcelona, returns to the squad after missing the World Cup triumph due to injury.
La Roja travel to England on September 26 in their first game since lifting the World Cup in July before hosting Croatia three days later in Seville.
They entertain the Czech Republic in Oviedo on October 3 and end the international window by heading to Croatia three days later.
A.Byun--SG
