Football
ESPN staff 8y

Spain boss Julen Lopetegui can't guarantee selecting Iker Casillas

Spain coach Julen Lopetegui said he respects what Iker Casillas has achieved with the national team, but insists he will select his players based on their form rather than their reputation.

Lopetegui, who succeeded Vicente del Bosque last month, will announce his first squad next week ahead of his side's friendly at Belgium and 2018 World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein next month.

The Spain boss will have to decide whether to include the nation's most capped player Casillas, who lost his No. 1 spot to David de Gea at Euro 2016.

While Lopetegui may have worked at Porto last season with Casillas -- who captained Spain to their Euro 2008 and 2012 victories and 2010 World Cup triumph -- he says he will make no special allowances when deciding on his selection.

"I'm very sensitive to what Iker Casillas has won, very respectful and very grateful for his achievements and commitment to the national team, but I will not make decisions because of that, I'll make them on performances," Lopetegui told AS.

"That's the case with Casillas and everyone else. You have to be very respectful for the players that marked an era with the national team and Casillas is one of them, but there are others as well. I insist that the first criteria to get into the squad is performance, ahead of any respect for the careers of those players."

Spain have been drawn alongside Italy, who knocked them out of Euro 2016, in Group G of World Cup qualifying, with only the team finishing top guaranteed a place in Russia.

"We're aware of the difficulty of qualifying but also of Spain's capacity and power," Lopetegui said. "I'm aware of the difficulty but I believe in the Spain players, who are talented and ambitious. Our aim is to be more of a team. There's a lot of hard work ahead but I'll manage it with responsibility and enthusiasm."

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