Spain's Olympic squad

Jax Teller

David De Gea (Manchester United), Joel Robles (Atlético de Madrid), Diego Mariño (Villarreal).

Azpilicueta (Olympique de Marsella), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Javi Martínez (Athletic), Domínguez (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Montoya (Barcelona), Botía (Sporting de Gijón), San José (Athletic), Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad).

Thiago Alcántara (Barcelona), Ander Herrera (Athletic), Koke (Atlético de Madrid), Oriol Romeu (Chelsea), Isco (Málaga), Mata (Chelsea), Muniain (Athletic).

Adrián (Atlético de Madrid), Álvaro Vázquez (Espanyol), Tello (Barcelona), Rodrigo (Benfica).

Can they just hand over the trophy now ?

I would be going mad if was Barca with Alba being called upto this after the Euros .

keano_afc

Wow, thats a seriously strong squad.

brianregan09

Who are the 3 overage players Mata and who else

Pudsy33

will the Olympic football be televised? sorry to be off topic

homerjay2005

if you were picking a team of top young players in the world right now, perhaps 5 of them would be from that squad.

its just frightening how good they are at all levels. when Casillas, Xavi, Alonso and the likes retire, the lads coming in could and probably will, be just as good as they are now, by then.

De gea, Martinez, Thiago, Munain, Alba are all world class players and they are only starting out in their careers really.

T-b0n3

Brazils squad ain't bad either. Just on my phone so don't have the full list but read a few names on twitter earlier. Neymar, Pato, Lucas, Sandro, Oscar, Romeu, Raf, Marcelo, Luiz etc

GavRedKing

I was hoping Mata wouldnt be called up.

He did say earlier this year that he'd love to represent Spain at the Olympics though.

MD1990

Brasil's Squad is even stronger

Xavi6

homerjay2005 wrote: »

De gea, Martinez, Thiago, Munain, Alba are all world class players and they are only starting out in their careers really.

Steady on

titan18

That squad has to be cut by 4 more, wouldn't be surprised to see Alba get taken out considering the amount of games he's played

Liam O

Xavi6 wrote: »

Steady on

He was at Joe Hart's level for the 2nd half of the season, many see Hart as the best keeper in the league.

but yeah, a bit early to be breaking out world class...

RVD420

I'll just leave this here....

Rekop dog

Cavani and Suarez will lead Uruguay to gold! Best strike force in the comp by a distance. Decent youths also.

Xavi6

Liam O wrote: »

He was at Joe Hart's level for the 2nd half of the season, many see Hart as the best keeper in the league.

but yeah, a bit early to be breaking out world class...

Oh he's definitely potentially world class given his age and ability, but to label him as world class now is just another example of how much that phrase has been devalued over the years.

SlickRic

RVD420 wrote: »

I'll just leave this here....

i'm not going to get into a de Gea debate, other than saying i think he WILL be world class...

but that save, which is quoted all the time as proof of his world classness (there's a word for ya!), is not proof of it in itself.

his consistent form for the last 3 months of the season is more of an argument than one excellent save, which, by the way, if his positioning was better for, he wouldn't have had to kill himself to get to :cool:

either way, yes, Spain have a serious squad. you couldn't look past them or Brazil for the gold.

OctavarIan

Xavi6 wrote: »

Oh he's definitely potentially world class given his age and ability, but to label him as world class now is just another example of how much that phrase has been devalued over the years.

To be honest, it's a stretch to label any of those players Homer mentioned as 'world class'.

titan18

Xavi6 wrote: »

Oh he's definitely potentially world class given his age and ability, but to label him as world class now is just another example of how much that phrase has been devalued over the years.

Why pick De Gea out then? Arguments can be made for Alba or Martinez, but Thiago and Muniain are just as worth pointing out as De Gea

Xavi6

titan18 wrote: »

Why pick De Gea out then? Arguments can be made for Alba or Martinez, but Thiago and Muniain are just as worth pointing out as De Gea

I don't watch Spanish football so it's not far to comment on players I rarely, if ever, see play.

jack presley

I know we're not in it but for comparison's sake, why would our squad look like?

Gandalph

That team would nearly win the premier league

SantryRed

RVD420 wrote: »

I'll just leave this here....

Will I leave a video of his Blackburn appearance in OT here too? :rolleyes:

Jax Teller

Just incase anyone was wondering what were the rules on overage players Page 16 of this http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/33/73/30/regulationsoft2012_update10.15.10_e.pdf

Rhys Essien

They should have called up Carlos Cuellar and Mikel Arteta ffs.

BKC

SlickRic wrote: »

by the way, if his positioning was better for, he wouldn't have had to kill himself to get to.

Please tell me you're not serious?

TerryTibbs!

RVD420 wrote: »

I'll just leave this here....

Yeah, this one save makes him world class.

elchupanebrey

ooops, opened this thread thinking it was about Spains Olympic squad, not another pointless argument about whether de Gea is World Class or not

GavRedKing

elchupanebrey wrote: »

ooops, opened this thread thinking it was about Spains Olympic squad, not another pointless argument about whether de Gea is World Class or not

You should have made a point about the Spain squad so instead of highlighting the De Gea point especially if ya wanted a Spanish Olympics squad debate.

De Gea world class?

Anyway, what are the odds on Spain? Favourites I presume?

Uruguay could be a good bet if at decent odds

munchkin_utd

Pudsy33 wrote: »

will the Olympic football be televised? sorry to be off topic

it likely will be.
BBC have 8 special olympic channels on top of being able to squeeze in olympic coverage on their 4 normal channels.

Somewhere in there they might fit in a game or 2!

Kiwi_knock

You would imagine that Jordi Alba will be in the final squad of 18, there was no point really in naming otherwise. It is good to see players like that, who are motivated to compete for another honour with their country.

I know it was agreed beforehand that no players who went to the Euros with England would be in Team GB but players like Kelly, Henderson, Carroll, Jones and Oxlade-Chamberlain should be taking part. I know their clubs would object to them taking part but I really see no harm to it. They are getting a pre-season and most of them are not crucial to their teams yet so are not a massive loss. These players should want to be playing as much as possible and representing their country.

elchupanebrey

gavredking wrote: »

You should have made a point about the Spain squad so instead of highlighting the De Gea point especially if ya wanted a Spanish Olympics squad debate.

touché:)

elefant

titan18 wrote: »

Why pick De Gea out then? Arguments can be made for Alba or Martinez, but Thiago and Muniain are just as worth pointing out as De Gea

Alba is nowhere near world class.

Bodhisopha

elefant wrote: »

Alba is nowhere near world class.

Right now he's top top but appears to be on his way to world class. I suspect after the coming season he will be considered world class and no longer simply top top.

cgpg5

Bodhisopha wrote: »

Right now he's top top but appears to be on his way to world class. I suspect after the coming season he will be considered world class and no longer simply top top.

Yet he has a long way to go to catch Lahm and A.Cole imo

BKC

rarnes1 wrote: »

Anyway, what are the odds on Spain? Favourites I presume?

Uruguay could be a good bet if at decent odds

Spain are @3.50 with Paddy Power. Brazil are favourites @3.25.

pickarooney

munchkin_utd wrote: »

it likely will be.
BBC have 8 special olympic channels on top of being able to squeeze in olympic coverage on their 4 normal channels.

Somewhere in there they might fit in a game or 2!

It's nice to see the special olympics get a bit more coverage.

Morzadec

brianregan09 wrote: »

Who are the 3 overage players Mata and who else

Adrian from Atleti would be one, seriously good player, very unlucky to miss out on the Spain squad for the Euros

titan18

elefant wrote: »

Alba is nowhere near world class.

I agree, but depending on someones definition of world class, it can be argued. One of the best left backs in the world imo

CongoPowers

Man, what a great squad. From memory, twelve of these lads won the Euros last summer. But now they will have Jordi Alba at LB plus Isco and Romeu if needed. Actually, they could even be first eleven to begin with. I hope Thiago steals the show again. Can't forget his golazo in the final.

Samich

How many people would be saying Alba is world class if he didn't play at the Euros?

Bodhisopha

Samich wrote: »

How many people would be saying Alba is world class if he didn't play at the Euros?

If he didn't look world class at the euro's? A lot less i imagine.

Samich

Bodhisopha wrote: »

If he didn't look world class at the euro's? A lot less i imagine.

Andrei Arshavin also looked unreal at the euros.

Bodhisopha

Samich wrote: »

Andrei Arshavin also looked unreal at the euros.

Maybe regular watchers of the Russian league knew better though. I don't know, i wasn't one of them. Assuming you're talking about Euro 08 here.

Super-Rush

Samich wrote: »

Andrei Arshavin also looked unreal at the euros.

You're gonna have to stop watching matches on teletext, because Arshavin did not look unreal at the Euros.

bookie basher

alba is first choice left back for the best international team ever & barcelona just bought him, thats good enough for me

batistuta9

brianregan09 wrote: »

Who are the 3 overage players Mata and who else

Morzadec wrote: »

Adrian from Atleti would be one, seriously good player, very unlucky to miss out on the Spain squad for the Euros

Javi Martinez is over age too

elefant

bookie basher wrote: »

alba is first choice left back for the best international team ever & barcelona just bought him, thats good enough for me

Alba is a left winger playing as a left back. He is actually quite a poor defender whose pace makes up for his blunders. There is a dearth of Spanish left-backs at the moment- note that Capdevilla was left back before Alba (hardly a world-beater).

He looked great for Spain because the opposition see so little of the ball- he doesn't have to actually perform as left back very often. I've seen him struggle for Valencia very often at left back, and I was far more confident when Mathieu was playing there. In fact, Valencia were better when both him and Mathieu played together on the left because Mathieu was able to compensate for Alba's defensive shortcomings.

In saying that, Alba hasn't been playing left back all that long, so he can only improve. [I'm very disappointed that he didn't renew his contract at Valencia (at least so the club could get fair money for him, as Villa did before), especially considering Valencia put faith in him after Barcelona initially booted him out for, apparently, being too short.]

It's the Spanish Paralympic squads people should be paying attention to :pac:

BKC

elefant wrote: »

Barcelona initially booted him out for, apparently, being too short.]

Hmm, that doesn't sound like Barcelona.

Davaeo09

BKC wrote: »

Hmm, that doesn't sound like Barcelona.

I've heard this too. Having seen videos of him at La Massia, he was exceptionally short. Even for a La Massia student

Professional Griefer

Thiago Alcantara ruled out of Olympics after failing to recover from tibia injury.