At 33 years old, the attacking midfielder is on the verge of a long-awaited return to the national stage.
After a stellar season with Real Betis, Isco has finally knocked on the doors of the Spanish national team — and coach Luis de la Fuente has answered. The creative playmaker, who had been absent from international duty for six years, has been named in Spain’s squad for the UEFA Nations League semi-final.
Spain will face France in the semi-final on June 5, and on Monday, de la Fuente unveiled his 26-man squad for the clash.
Isco last featured for Spain in June 2019, during a Euro qualifier against Sweden. Now, at 33, he has a golden opportunity to wear the national jersey again. So far, he’s made 38 appearances and scored 12 goals for La Roja.
Once a key figure at Real Madrid, Isco joined Real Betis from Sevilla in 2023 and has enjoyed a brilliant campaign. Across all competitions, he racked up 12 goals and 10 assists in 32 appearances, helping Betis secure a sixth-place finish in La Liga.
Also retained in the squad is defender Dean Huijsen, who recently signed a five-year deal with Real Madrid. Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí makes his return from injury, while Real Madrid’s Raúl Asencio and Barcelona’s Iñigo Martínez have been left out.
Midfielder Gavi returns to the national setup for the first time since 2023, while Ferran Torres, who is still recovering from injury, misses out as expected.
Despite a strong season for Espanyol, goalkeeper Juan García has been overlooked. He kept eight clean sheets in La Liga this season but hasn’t featured for Spain since 2022.
Coach de la Fuente will rely on Unai Simón, David Raya, and Álex Remiro for goalkeeping duties. Although Manchester City star Rodri has recovered from an ACL injury, he hasn’t been included in the squad for this round.
Barcelona, the newly crowned La Liga champions, have contributed the most players — six — to Spain’s Nations League squad. Surprisingly, Real Madrid, Europe’s most decorated club, have only one representative in the team.
