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National team call-ups are always bound to be subjected to strict scrutiny, especially when a major tournament is at hand. For Spain, the naming of their squad for Euro 2020 has put head coach Luis Enrique in the spotlight.
The former Barcelona boss named his squad on Monday, leaving out some key players. The biggest omission from the 51-year-old’s list is Spain captain Sergio Ramos, who many expected to be leading La Roja at the tournament.
Even worse, Enrique did not invite any Real Madrid players for the Euros, preferring to name a 24-man squad and cheekily leaving the remaining two slots unfilled.
Spain coach Enrique’s decision divides opinion but is justifiable
The decision to leave Sergio Ramos out of the squad has particularly divided opinion in the football world. This is because the 35-year-old has been part of the national team setup for over a decade and is one of the team’s leaders.
As the captain, his name is usually the first on every roster. However, Ramos is currently a pale shadow of himself, having struggled for the entirety of the season.
Enrique may have looked at his options and realized the veteran centre-back wouldn’t offer much if selected for the Euros.
Having recently got Aymeric Laporte to defect to Spain, Enrique is well-stocked in the defensive positions. Cesar Azpilicueta, Diego Llorente and Pau Torres are also viable options and are currently in better form than Ramos, which justifies Enrique’s controversial decision to drop his skipper.
Sergio Ramos unfit and out of form
Spain haven’t been at their best since winning Euro 2012 and have endured miserable runs at the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2016.
The squad that won the Euros back-to-back and the World Cup has gone extinct, with new talents coming through. Ramos, however, remains the only member of the old guard still present in the national team.
The Real Madrid defender has been a loyal servant to La Roja but he’s currently not in the best of shape. National team call-ups should be earned through merit and consistency.
Unfortunately, Sergio Ramos doesn’t tick any of the above boxes. He’s been blighted by niggling injuries, reducing him to just 21 appearances in all competitions in the just-concluded season.
"I have fought and worked body and soul every day to be able to reach 100 per cent with Real Madrid and the national team, but things do not always go the way you want,” Ramos said in a Twitter post after being left out of the Spain squad.
"It hurts me not to have been able to help my team more and not defend Spain but, in this case, it is better to rest, fully recover well and, next year, return as we have always done.
"It hurts not to represent your country, but you have to be honest and sincere. A big shout to everyone and #VivaEspana and #HalaMadrid always!"
Ramos is clearly not fit enough to play in the tournament and his lack of fitness was badly exposed when Real Madrid faced Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final.
He is also a man badly out of form and would only be a liability had he been taken to the Euros. Enrique certainly got his decision right in this case.
