Soccer

Vicente del Bosque opts for youthful looking extended Spanish squad

Sebastien Coates has been included in Uruguay coach Oscar Washington Tabarez’s 25-man preliminary panel

Athletic Bilbao’s Ander Iturraspe (left) has been included in extended 30-man Spanish squad for World Cup in Brazil. Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters
Athletic Bilbao’s Ander Iturraspe (left) has been included in extended 30-man Spanish squad for World Cup in Brazil. Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters
Tue May 13 2014 - 18:26

Uncapped Dani Carvajal and Ander Iturraspe were named in Spain's provisional World Cup squad today.

Coach Vicente del Bosque opted for plenty of youth in his 30-man list which will be whittled down to 23 players as the Spaniards bid to retain the trophy they lifted four years ago in South Africa.

Spain have been the dominant force in the international game in recent years having also won back-to-back European Championships and there is a good balance of promise and experience in the squad.

Carvajal has made rapid progress this season at Real Madrid having taken the regular right back slot from Alvaro Arbeloa, who was one of the surprise omissions from the squad.

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Iturraspe has been a crucial cog in the Athletic Bilbao team which has qualified for the Champions League with his slick passing from deep in midfield.

However, the strong competition in the middle of the pitch means that he may well be one of the seven to miss out on the final cut.

Veteran striker David Villa has failed to shine for Atletico Madrid this season but he has been included for his experience.

Gabi and Raul Garcia, who both have played important roles in Atletico’s success this season, will be disappointed not to have made the list.

There is most doubt over who will play in the forward positions in Brazil and Del Bosque has not given any clues as he has included all the likely contenders.

Fernando Torres, Fernando Llorente, Alvaro Negredo and Pedro are all in the squad as is Brazilian-born Diego Costa following his prolific form with Atletico.

There is also a possibility that Cesc Fabregas could play in attack as more of a link-up player, a position he has played regularly for Barcelona and in several games at Euro 2012. Spain are in Group B along with the Netherlands, Chile and Australia.

Meanwhile Sebastien Coates has been included in Uruguay coach Oscar Washington Tabarez's 25-man preliminary squad for this summer's World Cup.

Liverpool defender Coates was sidelined for almost eight months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury on international duty last August, but has been on the comeback trail at former club Nacional, whom he joined on loan from the Reds in January.

There are three other Premier League players in the squad with Liverpool star Luis Suarez, West Brom defender Diego Lugano and Southampton midfielder Gaston Ramirez included, along with 34-year-old Cerezo Osaka forward Diego Forlan and Paris St Germain's Edinson Cavani in a powerful-looking attack.

Defensive duo Jose Maria Gimenez and Jorge Fucile have also been called up, despite not playing regularly for Atletico Madrid and Porto respectively, but there was no place for veteran Penarol goalkeeper Juan Castillo.

Castillo’s omission means there are no domestic-based players in Tabarez’s 25-man group, although Nacional defender Andres Scotti is one of three players on the stand-by list.

Uruguay, who reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and won the Copa America the following year, will face England, Italy and Costa Rica in Group D in Brazil.

SPAIN

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Napoli), David De Gea (Manchester United)

Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Alberto Moreno (Sevilla), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Koke Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), Ander Iturraspe (Athletic Bilbao), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Jesus Navas (Manchester City), David Silva (Manchester City), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Juan Mata (Manchester United), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)

Forwards: Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), David Villa (Atletico Madrid) Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City), Fernando Llorente (Juventus)

URUGUAY: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco Da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad); Diego Lugano (West Brom), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Maximiliano Pereira (Benfical), Jorge Fucile (Porto), Sebastian Coates (Nacional); Egidio Arevalo-Rios (Morelia), Walter Gargano (Parma), Diego Perez (Bologna), Sebastian Eguren (Palmeiras), Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alejandro Silva (Lanus), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Pablo), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo); Edinson Cavani (PSG), Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Cristian Stuani (Espanyol). Standy-by list: Andres Scotti (Nacional), Alvaro Fernandez (Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata), Gonzalo Castro (Real Sociedad)