Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has been included in Vicente del Bosque’s 26-man Spanish national team squad for the country’s upcoming Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus on Saturday and its friendly versus the defending World Cup champions Germany next Tuesday. The 29-year-old was also a member of the Spain side which won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca, Cazorla has asked La Roja supporters to refrain from comparing the current Spanish squad with the previous national team side.
Spain suffered a disappointing World Cup campaign, not even making it out of the group stage of the tournament. La Roja would then see the international retirements of standout performers Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez in the weeks following the summer tournament.
The feeling around the national team is that now is a time for the squad to be given room to grow as a unit and build the chemistry that was so strong in previous editions.
“Don’t compare. I know it’s inevitable but the Spain of the past won’t return,” Cazorla told Marca.
“Now the aim should be to play well and regain the feelings of a team. There is a change and we must all be patient.”
“There were great players. We’re another Spain than the one that won it all and it’s complicated.”
[Santi Cazorla blasts thunderbolt strike past Iker Casillas during Spanish national team training session]
