Spain coach De la Fuente offers 'full support' to people of Ceuta / Photo: FRANCK FIFE - AFP/File
-
Liverpool boss Iraola puts Bournemouth love affair on hold
-
Isolated Syrian-Druze city blames Damascus for shortages
-
'A disaster' if Man City do not win says Maresca after flawless start
-
Isolated Syrian-Druze city shortages
-
Kerry James Marshall: American 'blackness' painter celebrated in Europe
-
Dutch drop Depay for Germany match in Xavi's first pick
-
Spain coach De la Fuente offers 'full support' to people of Ceuta
-
Ronaldo named in Portugal squad for Nations League
-
Russia seizes assets of Nestle, French firms over West's Ukraine support
-
Stock markets diverge after central bank rate hikes
-
England can build on World Cup 'spirit', says Tuchel
-
Anti-Assad music star makes triumphant return to Syria
-
UNESCO can be 'moderator' in AI debate: chief to AFP
-
In-form Fernandez included in Spain Nations League squad
-
Infantino 'must go', says German FA vice-president
-
Arteta buries hatchet with Hurzeler ahead of Brighton clash
-
Russia seizes assets of Nestle, French firms
-
Alexander-Arnold and Palmer return to England squad for Nations League
-
Japan's busiest rail station tests robot bins
-
Russians vote as Ukraine war drags on for fifth year
-
Anthropic says AI systems moving towards building themselves
-
Backpackers fret over Australian visa crackdown
-
Asian stocks boosted by falling oil, yen weakens after BoJ rate hike
-
Most Asian stocks track Wall St rally, yen drops after BoJ rate hike
-
Pakistan court blocks expulsion of Afghan medical college students
-
Russians begin voting in controlled election as war drags on
-
Athletes 'can't take it any more' as Asian Games issues mount
-
Trump 'clearly' wants dialogue with Pyongyang: South Korean President
-
Allen lights up Bills' new stadium with 41-31 win over Lions
-
Bank of Japan hikes rates to 31-year high to battle inflation
-
Afghan medical students in Pakistan hope court stops college expulsions
-
Thailand's Muslim separatists vow to fight to the end
-
AI doomsday warnings unlikely to slow IPOs but questions linger
-
Mideast turmoil, AI set to dominate UN gathering of world leaders
-
ICC eyes China in bid to expand cricket
-
Australia to detain tourists who overstay visa, minister says
-
Nkunku craving freedom and fun on RB Leipzig return
-
Championship rivals brace for renewal of bitter feuds
-
Bhutan's traditional archers lose ground to development
-
In Brazil's Amazon, the hunt for oil fuels hopes and fears
-
Asian stocks track Wall St rally as oil prices drop
-
Australian athlete who soiled herself apologises for continuing Hyrox race
-
South Korea makes Asian Games complaint over Japan warlord ceremony
-
Baby orangutans in India expose 'frightening' scale of trafficking
-
US aid cuts are killing Kenyan sex workers
-
Doom Loop? Ed Sheeran struggles against Gaza tide
-
October 7 survivors, families take centre stage in Israel vote
-
Sudanese women hold fast to threatened henna body art
-
Captain Mat Ryan axed from Socceroos squad for Brazil games
-
Man Utd misery puts Carrick under pressure, Spurs feeling the heat
Spain coach De la Fuente offers 'full support' to people of Ceuta
Spain's World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente said on Friday he wanted to offer the people of Ceuta his "full support", as the north African exclave grapples with a migration crisis.
More than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in a chaotic surge, leaving scores dead and sparked European Union infighting over the sensitive topic of immigration.
Immigration has emerged as one of Spain's dominant political issues in recent months, and the debate has increasingly spilled into football ahead of next year's parliamentary elections.
On Tuesday, France stars Kylian Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate and Brazil striker Vinicius Junior, all of whom play for Real Madrid, rolled up pre-match t-shirts bearing the words "We are all Ceutans", sparking outrage from conservative and far-right politicians in the country, before their league win over Elche.
"I'm not forgetting our compatriots in Ceuta, who are in a very difficult situation," De la Fuente told reporters as he announced his squad for four upcoming Nations League games.
"I hope they will be able to get back to normal life as soon as possible, I offer them my full support," the 65-year-old added after appearing in a Spanish football federation video filmed in Ceuta.
De la Fuente handed uncapped Espanyol striker Roberto Fernandez a call-up to his first squad since lifting the World Cup in July.
Fernandez, 24, has scored six goals in six La Liga games so far this season, putting him behind only Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Mbappe in the goalscoring charts.
Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez received his first senior call-up, although he did win a full international cap when Spain's under-21 squad filled in for a friendly against Lithuania in 2021, when the senior side had to go into Covid isolation.
Barca 'keeper Joan Garcia is injured and is one of four players missing from the World Cup squad, alongside the retired Marcos Llorente, forward Borja Iglesias and Barcelona midfielder Gavi.
Fermin Lopez, who has scored four La Liga goals this season for Barcelona, returns to the squad after missing the World Cup triumph due to injury.
La Roja travel to England on September 26 in their first game since lifting the World Cup in July before hosting Croatia three days later in Seville.
They entertain the Czech Republic in Oviedo on October 3 and end the international window by heading to Croatia three days later.
C.Garcia--AMWN
