FIFA World Cup: Luis Enrique's Spain betting on youngsters to succeed in Qatar

Spain will look a bit different at this year’s World Cup.

Don’t expect to see veterans like Sergio Ramos, Gerard Piqué, Andrés Iniesta or David Silva in their squad.

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Instead, look for youngsters like Pedri González, Gavi Páez and Nico Williams.

Spain are going really young to try to win football’s biggest prize and lift a major trophy for the first time since 2012.

Pedri is 19 and has already established himself with the national team. Gavi, 18, not long ago became the youngest player to debut and score with “La Roja” at 17, and recently won the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player, an award that Pedri won the previous season.

Williams turned 20 in July, and has quickly gained space after impressing in his first two matches in the lead up to the World Cup.

There are also 19-year-olds Yeremy Pino and Ansu Fati.

Nearly half of the team’s squad in Qatar is set to be 25 or younger.

“The youngsters have incredible talent and can add a lot to the squad,” 30-year-old forward Pablo Sarabia told The Associated Press.

Spain coach Luis Enrique, going into his first World Cup in the position, has not been shy about calling up youngsters but will balance it out with the experience of players like Sergio Busquets, César Azpilicueta, Koke Resurrección, Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba — all 30 or older.

“We have a group of youngsters and some veterans who we feel can face any rival,” Luis Enrique said.

Search for forwards 

Luis Enrique has apparently narrowed his list of forwards, with Álvaro Morata, Ferran Torres, Marco Asensio, Pablo Sarabia and Pino having their spots secured.

Making late pushes are Williams and Borja Iglesias, while losing out will likely be veteran Iago Aspas, the often-injured Gerard Moreno and Fati, who has not played often with Barcelona.

Raúl de Tomás is out as well because he will not get to play for new club Rayo Vallecano until January.

Recent success

Spain haven’t won a title since the 2012 European Championship but have done well recently by reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and the final of last year’s Nations League, losing to Italy and France, respectively.

Few had expected Spain to succeed in those tournaments as it transitioned between generations, but Luis Enrique put together a competitive squad.

The team will enter this year’s World Cup boosted by a victory at Portugal in the last round of the group stage of the Nations League to advance to the competition’s Final Four for the second consecutive year.

2018 trauma

Spain’s last World Cup appearance was marked by the embarrassing firing of coach Julen Lopetegui only days before the team’s debut.

Lopetegui had led Spain to a 20-run unbeaten run after Euro 2016, but he was hastily removed from his post for accepting the Real Madrid coaching job without telling Spanish soccer federation officials in advance.

The sudden change in command proved costly as Spain lost to host Russia on penalties in the round of 16.

In 2014 in Brazil, Spain did even worse, failing to make it past the group stage.

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez, David Raya.

Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba, Jose Gaya.

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Carlos Soler, Marcos Llorente, Pedri, Koke.

Forwards: Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, Yeremi Pino, Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati.

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