Jesús Velasco aims to bring inclusivity to the National Team by releasing a public 30-player shortlist, encouraging First Division players to stay motivated. At his official presentation, the Toledo coach made his approach clear: “The goal is to inspire everyone with the chance to be called up and select those performing at their best,” he said. Velasco also emphasized collaboration with club coaches: “I rely on their input since I don’t see the players daily. My decisions will be mine, but I’ll seek their advice because it’s essential to pick the most in-form players, regardless of their team.”
After a promising debut win against Portugal, Velasco now prepares for European Championship qualifiers against Switzerland and Bosnia. Spain’s final squad will be announced on December 4, with games scheduled for December 12 in Bern and December 17 in Cartagena. Spain, part of Group 8 with Bosnia, Switzerland, and England, is expected to top the group, with matches running until April 2025. The top team will secure a spot in the finals, held from January 18 to February 8, 2026, in Latvia and Lithuania.
List
The 30-player shortlist includes the 14 players from Velasco’s debut squad. Notable inclusions in goal are Jesús Herrero (Movistar Inter, 38) and young Antonio Navarro (Manzanares). Returning World Cup players include Antonio Pérez (Barça) and Raúl Gómez (Movistar Inter), while Adrián Rivera (Wanapix Zaragoza), a European U-19 champion, could make his senior debut.
On the wings, right-footed players like Cecilio, Javi Mínguez (Movistar Inter), and Renato (Jaén) join the squad, with Eloy Rojas (Valdepeñas) returning. Left-footed additions include Catela, Eric Martel (Barça), and Pol Pachecho (Valdepeñas). In the power forward role, Bernat Povill (Industrias Santa Coloma) makes his debut. Veteran Juanqui (Peñíscola) also returns at 35.
Several players are unavailable due to injury, including Barça’s Dídac Plana, Sergio Lozano, and Adolfo, while Mellado (Cartagena) has recently resumed training. Two friendlies against Italy on December 3 and 4 will further prepare Spain for the March 2025 World Cup qualifiers in France.
In women’s futsal, coach Claudia Pons has announced her squad for upcoming matches, highlighted by the return of Caridad (Pescados Rubén Burela) in goal. The team gathers on December 1 for further preparations.
