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It's been nine years since Spain's last triumph at a major tournament as they head into Euro 2020. They have suffered underwhelming returns in every major cup competition following their win at Euro 2012. It marked the end of a four-year glorious period where they won two European Championships and a World Cup.
The old guard retired subsequently and their replacements couldn't replicate their success. Naturally, La Roja have had to undergo a transformation or a rebuild of sorts. They have tested out various combinations and tactics but none of them have really paid dividends so far.
Spain have a relatively young squad heading into Euro 2020
As they head into Euro 2020 though, Spain do have a young and promising core. They might not be at a level where they can browbeat the best in the business, but they have enough quality to put up a fight in any scenario. Luis Enrique will, however, have his work cut out trying to choose the strongest starting XI from an extremely talented group of players.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the strongest possible XI for Spain at Euro 2020.
Spain Goalkeeper - David de Gea (Manchester United)
Given his form over the past couple of seasons, Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea seems to have gone past his prime. But he is still Spain's best bet to guard the net at Euro 2020. None of Spain's three goalkeepers are in great form ahead of the tournament.
The other options for Luis Enrique are Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon and Brighton & Hove Albion's Robert Sanchez. Unai Simon could get the nod ahead of De Gea as he had a decent outing with Athletic Bilbao in the 2020-21 season. But Luis Enrique will be well-advised to go with experience at Euro 2020.
De Gea will also be raring to finally put on a good showing at a major tournament for his national side. He has thus far been a failure at doing that and will be looking to change that at Euro 2020.
He was also in good form for Manchester United towards the end of the season. But he largely played in the Europa League after Dean Henderson replaced him as the first-choice in the Premier League.
He is also the most experienced of the three. However, David de Gea will need to be tidy with his distribution and it has become a weak point in his game. Given the kind of expansive game that Spain play, their forays forward will regularly be kickstarted by their goalkeeper.
Right-back - Marcos Llorente
This is quite a curious choice, particularly when Champions League winner Cesar Azpilicueta is in the squad. But we have seen Marcos Llorente play at right-back before and he has done a pretty good job there.
31-year-old Azpilicueta has lost a yard of pace in recent years and might find it hard to keep up with the bustling young forwards he will inevitably come up against at Euro 2020. As a result, Llorente's versatility could see him get the starting spot.
Even when he plays as the right-sided central midfielder in Diego Simeone's system, Llorente regularly exploits the space behind the opposition's left-back.
Llorente can be effective on both ends of the pitch and he could very well be their starter at right-back at Euro 2020.
Centre-back - Aymeric Laporte
The Manchester City defender may have fallen down the pecking order at his club. But he gave a good account of himself in his debut game for Spain in the recent international friendly against Portugal. Laporte brought a great deal of strength and intelligence to the fore as he kept the talented Portuguese attackers at bay.
Laporte is a great replacement for Sergio Ramos and he has proved that he can hold his own against the best attackers in the world. He is excellent with the ball at his feet and will be crucial to Spain playing out from the back.
Centre-back - Pau Torres
One of the most coveted young defenders in Europe, Pau Torres, is likely to be Aymeric Laporte's partner at the heart of defence. Torres is coming off a great season with Villarreal, who capped off their season by winning the UEFA Europa League.
He is an intelligent player who can read the game well and is quite physically imposing as well. Torres is also a good passer of the ball which makes him the perfect partner for Laporte in Spain's backline.
Left-back - Jordi Alba
Jordi Alba is the obvious choice at left-back. The veteran was in good form for Barcelona in the second half of the season and Enrique will want to tap into his experience. Jose Gaya is a worthy deputy but is unlikely to get the nod ahead of Alba.
Central defensive midfield - Rodri
Sergio Busquets tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday and is likely to miss out on the first few matches of the tournament at the very least. In his absence, Rodri is expected to be deployed in defensive midfield. Rodri is coming off an excellent season with Manchester City and has proven his credentials in the Premier League.
Rodri is one of the best passers of the ball in the Spain team. His ability to stitch together passes and break up play will be crucial to La Roja at Euro 2020. He will bring a lot of calmness to the Spanish midfield and help his central midfielders express themselves as he does for Manchester City.
Central midfielder - Thiago Alcantara
Thiago Alcantara had a rather difficult start to life at Liverpool. But he signed off on the 2020-21 season on a good note, showcasing great form in the closing stages of an underwhelming campaign.
Thiago continues to be one of the best technicians in central midfield and he ought to be chosen ahead of Barcelona youngster Pedri. With a pacy front three ahead of him, Thiago's passing will greatly enhance Spain's chances of breaking down opposition defences.
Alongside Rodri, Thiago will help Spain keep hold of the ball and assert a certain level of control over every game. His ball-carrying abilities and experience will be important to a young Spanish side that's looking to rise to expectations.
Central midfielder - Koke
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke enjoyed yet another impressive campaign as the Rojiblancos went on to win the La Liga title. He could be a part of any midfield combination that Luis Enrique chooses to go with at Euro 2020.
He is excellent at orchestrating play from the middle and controlling the tempo of the game. Koke's diagonal passes to release the fullbacks have become a feature of his game. His awareness and vision helps his teams get on the front foot at great speed.
Not only is he one of the best technicians in Spain, but he also never shies away from dispensing his defensive duties. Koke, Thiago and Rodri form one of the best midfield trios at Euro 2020 and Spain's chances will depend greatly on the performance of these three individuals.
Right-winger - Ferran Torres
Ferran Torres signed off on the 2020-21 season in sensational fashion. He even scored the first hat-trick of his Manchester City career in the closing stages of the season. We have seen glimpses of brilliance from the 21-year-old and he is rated highly by the Spanish management.
Torres will operate on the right-wing and is expected to add a lot of directness to Spain's game in the final third. Despite playing largely on the flanks, Ferran Torres is a great goalscorer and he bagged the first hat-trick of his international career in November 2020 against Germany.
He scored four goals in six appearances for Spain in the UEFA Nations League. He added two more in three appearances in Spain's World Cup Qualifiers. Torres scored a total of 13 goals for Manchester City in 36 appearances across all competitions for Manchester City in 2020-21 as well.
He will definitely take the weight of the goalscoring off the shoulders of the striker and is therefore a vital part of Spain's squad.
Left-winger - Mikel Oyarzabal
Yes, Mikel Oyarzabal is yet to prove himself on the international stage. However, the 23-year-old is coming off an excellent season for Real Sociedad. Oyarzabal can play in a number of positions but is likely to be deployed as a left-sided forward in Spain's starting XI.
Oyarzabal is one of the most technically proficient forwards in La Liga presently. He is excellent at taking defenders on and beating them and can also score some absolute peaches. The 24-year-old scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions for Real Sociedad this season.
While Dani Olmo is also an option for Luis Enrique, Oyarzabal has simply been more effective.
Centre-forward - Alvaro Morata
No surprises here. Alvaro Morata, who spent the 2020-21 season on loan with Juventus, is Spain's most experienced striker. He enjoyed a decent season with the Bianconeri. The 28-year-old scored 20 goals and provided 12 assists in 44 appearances for Juventus in 2020-21.
While Gerard Moreno has enjoyed the best season of his career so far, Morata is likely to be named in the starting XI ahead of him. Morata has more experience playing for La Roja. While his finishing often leaves much to be desired, his all-round game will be crucial to Spain's exploits in the final third at Euro 2020.
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