Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente chose the North African city of Ceuta as the backdrop for his latest Nations League squad announcement on Friday. The move signals support for the Spanish territory, which has recently emerged as a flashpoint in a significant migration crisis. In late July, more than 70,000 people stormed the border from Morocco, leading to a chaotic situation that resulted in over 100 deaths. While the majority of those who crossed were quickly returned, a few thousand individuals remain in the city, which has a population of just over 80,000.
Standing alongside local residents, De la Fuente unveiled the roster via video. While he did not explicitly detail the border situation, he stated, “This is Ceuta, this is Spain.” His appearance reflects a growing national sentiment that the exclave, which has been under Spanish control since 1580, requires greater recognition from the mainland. The city serves as a unique meeting point for Christians and Muslims, as well as Spanish and Moroccan workers, operating behind a border fence frequently tested by migrants seeking passage into Europe.
This marks the first team selection since Spain’s World Cup victory in July. The squad, which remains largely consistent with that tournament lineup, will debut their new jerseys featuring two stars during their Nations League opener against England at Wembley Stadium on September 26. Following the London fixture, Spain will host Croatia on September 29 and the Czech Republic on October 3, followed by an away match against Croatia on October 6.
Several roster changes were confirmed for the upcoming matches. Inter Milan’s Josep Martinez steps in for Barcelona’s Joan Garcia, who is sidelined with a minor knee injury, while Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen replaces the recently retired Marcos Llorente. Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez takes over for Gavi in midfield, and Espanyol striker Roberto Fernandez earned his first international call-up, replacing Borja Iglesias.
Controversy has also touched the team, as a Real Madrid supporters’ group has publicly demanded an apology from Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konate. The trio drew criticism during a recent La Liga match against Elche for partially rolling up their tribute shirts to obscure a message of support for the people of Ceuta. The rest of the Real Madrid squad wore the shirts in full during the 3-2 victory.
The full squad is as follows: Goalkeepers Unai Simon, David Raya, and Josep Martínez; Defenders Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marc Cucurella, Dean Huijsen, and Pedro Porro; Midfielders Rodri Hernandez, Pedri Gonzalez, Fermin Lopez, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Fabian Ruiz, and Alex Baena; and Forwards Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Yeremy Pino, Nico Williams, Mikel Oyarzabal, Victor Munoz, and Roberto Fernandez. The report also notes that but did say: “This is Ceuta, this is Spain, de la Fuente did not directly mention the border crossing or its impact. The report also notes that it echoed the rise in sentiment in Spain that Ceuta – a territory that until the mass crossing was mostly an afterthought for most mainland Spaniards – needs to be supported. The report also notes that christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents and day workers all live there in relative harmony behind a border fence that many migrants from across Africa attempt to cross or swim around for a better life in Europe.
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