One of the more controversial omissions from the Spain national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup was manager Luis Enrique opting to leave Sergio Ramos off the squad.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender has bounced back this 2022-23 season, where he’s shown to be fully fit after dealing with injuries. However, it was not enough for Enrique.
Without Ramos, Spain would crash out in the World Cup Round of 16, losing to Morocco in penalty kicks. The loss would also lead to a change in manager as Luis De la Fuente, formerly in charge of La Roja’s U21 team, takes over.
One of the questions De la Fuente had to answer is whether the 36-year-old would return to the national team with the 2024 Euros, the next tournament on the horizon for Spain as qualifying matches begin in March.
“All those who are selectable have the same possibilities,” De la Fuente told reporters (h/t Culture PSG). “We will start working from now on to collect information on everyone when they will play and when they will resume competition.
“We have an idea, but the door isn’t closed to anyone. On the contrary, all the doors of selection are open. I’m not going to get into arguments about Ramos. All those who are selectable can be summoned.”
Ramos will be 38 years old when the Euros come around in less than two years, and this 2022 World Cup has shown that veteran defenders can still make an impact, such as Portugal’s Pepe, who played at 39.
If the PSG defender shows he can play at a high level, then perhaps the Euros can be his last dance with the Spanish national team.
