Not the first choice but David Raya relaxed despite Spain goalkeeper debate at World Cup
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Spain goalkeepers Unai Simon (left) and David Raya during training ahead of the World Cup at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on June 11, 2026.
PHOTO: REUTERS
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee – David Raya believes Spain “are in good hands” no matter who starts the World Cup in goal, as he battles with Unai Simon and Joan Garcia to be Luis de la Fuente’s No. 1.
Raya enjoyed an outstanding season at Arsenal, helping the Gunners to a first English Premier League title in 22 years and to reach the Champions League final.
Garcia also shone as Barcelona won La Liga, but they are reportedly set to miss out as Simon is expected to start their opener against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15.
The Athletic Bilbao stopper has been Spain’s No. 1 at the past three major tournaments, including when La Roja won Euro 2024.
“I think Spain is in good hands, whoever plays,” Raya told a press conference on June 13 at Spain’s training base in Chattanooga.
“Since Unai debuted, he has performed at a really high level. We have won the Nations League, the Euros with him and he’s a great goalkeeper who has given us these titles.”
Raya, 30, has spent the vast majority of his career in England.
He moved to Blackburn Rovers as a teenager and spent a loan spell at sixth-tier Southport, before making his name in the Premier League with Brentford.
In three years at Arsenal, he has won the Golden Glove award for most clean sheets in the Premier League every season.
But much of the debate in his homeland has centred on whether Garcia, rather than Raya, should be selected ahead of Simon.
“I have spent a lot of years abroad and I remember the first time I came to the national team, sometimes they asked who I was,” he added on whether he has been overlooked in Spain.
“I am doing my job for my club to be the best I can be and to be able to represent my country, which is the most important thing.
“I am here to help the team as much as possible and to win the second (World Cup) star.”
There is little more Raya could have done to convince de la Fuente after a stunning season at club level.
On top of ending their long wait to win the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s men also reached a first Champions League final for 20 years, but defeat on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain denied them becoming champions of Europe for the first time.
“Personally, I think it was a very successful season and collectively it was spectacular,” he said.
“We managed to win the Premier League, which was so wanted by our fans and by the club. It has been a great season and I am very happy with my performances as well.”
While Spain have an embarrassment of riches in their squad, Cape Verde had to recruit a defender via LinkedIn.
When Roberto Lopes was originally contacted by the Cape Verdean football association on LinkedIn, he did what many people do with unsolicited messages on the professional networking platform – he ignored it, almost costing him the chance to play at the 2026 World Cup.
The tough, Irish-born central defender thought the message in Portuguese was spam and did not bother replying. It was only when he received a follow-up message in English that he realised it was an offer to play international football for Cape Verde.
“Nine months later they messaged me back in English asking if I had thought about the proposal, and it was only then that I did what I should have done originally and Google-translated the original message asking if I would be interested in declaring for Cape Verde,” a laughing Lopes told Reuters in a telephone interview before the tournament.
“It was a weird angle to come at (via LinkedIn). It was explained to me afterwards that they had difficulty contacting my club, but when I saw the opportunity was there in front of me, I was 100 per cent behind it from the minute one and we got working on getting all the necessary documentation across.”
Known universally in the game by his nickname of “Pico”, the 33-year-old has played his entire career in the League of Ireland for Bohemian FC and Shamrock Rovers and very few players from that league make it to the international stage, never mind the Finals of a major tournament. AFP, REUTERS
