Picking Spain's 2018 World Cup Squad After Latest International Games

Spain's international team ruled the world for a period under Luis Aragones and Vicente del Bosque, but the 2010 World Cup winners didn't have such an enjoyable time of things in 2014, crashing out in the group stages in Brazil after just one win from three games.

The regeneration of the team has begun since then, accelerated after another poor showing at Euro 2016, Now under the rule of coach Julen Lopetegui, Spain are once again looking capable of challenging the best sides for major honours come the 2018 finals in Russia.

With still more than an entire season to play, predicting the final 23-man squad who travel to compete at the finals is a tricky endeavour, and naturally one that relies on the unpredictable states of fitness come next June.

Even so, watching the development of certain players and how the team is set up under the manager, we can be reasonably confident of selecting a squad that could see La Roja once again crowned the best in the world.

Two spots in goal are pretty much tied up. David De Gea will of course be Spain's first-choice stopper, both in Russia and likely for the next two or three international tournaments thereafter, thanks to his consistency just as much as his actual level of quality.

There's a possibility De Gea moves from Manchester United to Real Madrid this summer, if rumours passed on by Marca's Jose Felix Diaz are to be believed, but even so he has the mental capacity and the star quality to make a big success of the switch.

It's unthinkable he's moved out of the role.

Sergio Rico will be his understudy; the 23-year-old is nowhere near De Gea's level, and his form fluctuates wildly, but the hope for Spain will be that he finds consistency in the coming years to be a reliable second choice, and going to the finals will be part of that progression.

Third choice is up for grabs, but Villarreal's Sergio Asenjo should be a consideration—possibly even to usurp Rico as second choice. Asenjo's talent is not under question, only his fitness is. Asenjo is now out injured with a fourth ruptured cruciate ligament, and he'll not play again in 2016/17. Hard work lies ahead to regain the level he was at prior to the latest setback, but the promise of a spot on the plane is good motivation.

The first two names at full-back are easy to predict, and they'll be in the starting XI bar a huge loss of form: Dani Carvajal on the right, Jordi Alba on the left.

Thereafter, there's plenty of room for manoeuvre for Lopetegui depending on what he wants: like-for-like speed-merchant replacements? More defensive solidity? Versatility within the squad?

We've tried to balance it out, so Cesar Azpilicueta is in as he's able to cover both sides. He is certainly more than capable in both halves of the pitch and is used to being in a high-pressure environment where success is expected.

For the fourth full-back, we're going for Real Madrid's Nacho Fernandez.

Naturally he's a centre-back, but Nacho has featured at left-back for Real many times and has been particularly impressive in 16/17, both with his defensive work (in both positions) and in supporting the build-up play from full-back.

He gives Lopetegui options and would 100 per cent deserve his spot if his game time and performance levels are similar in 17/18 to the current season.

As with full-back, central defence is easy to start with: captain Sergio Ramos will partner Gerard Pique, quite possibly for the final time considering the Barcelona man has declared he'll retire from international duty after the World Cup in Russia.

After those two, it's an open field, but including Nacho as one of our full-backs means there's wiggle room to gamble a little more.

Javi Martinez hadn't featured for Spain for two years before his recent call-up, but he's now a regular starter again at centre-back for Bayern Munich under Carlo Ancelotti and, if he continues in that vein next season, it's hard to envisage him not breaking back into the national team squad.

He has experience, he's aggressive and he plays the ball out extremely well, making him an ideal alternative to Pique and Ramos.

For a fourth centre-back, there's no need to go with more experience—that's part of the reason Nacho is in as left-and-centre-back.

Instead, Spain's brightest young defensive prospect is in: Jorge Mere, currently of Sporting Gijon but quite possibly elsewhere next term.

Cool in possession, defensively aware and with impressive positional sense, he's one of the next batch of Spanish talents for non-La Liga watchers to soon be in awe of, and travelling to Russia could help shape his development significantly.

The glut of talent on our "missed the plane" list should give an indication of just how good Spain's midfield selection is going to be once again.

Even with Xavi, Xabi Alonso and others having departed, there's still a huge talent pool to pick from, with three centurions among them.

Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta are two of the 100-cap members (or will be, Busquets is currently just shy) and both are likely starters in Russia, even if Iniesta is rarely a 90-minute man by then. The talent and control, the intelligence and the winning mentality both possess make them must-haves in Lopetegui's squad.

Alongside them, we're not just taking Thiago in the squad, we're backing him to have won a regular starting spot in Spain's midfield—the creative genius who can open up packed defences and add goals from deep.

That is, of course, is assuming his injuries stay away next year.

Koke will battle Thiago for the role and should make the squad, while Asier Illarramendi has been phenomenal this season back at Real Sociedad. More of the same next year and he'll be Busquets' understudy without question.

Next is to choose the more offensive-minded, creative midfield talents, those who will operate from wide in Lopetegui's fluid 4-3-3/4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1 formations. They're neither true wide men nor genuine midfielders, but have licence to roam, drift between the lines and lay on chances: David Silva is guaranteed, Isco should make it if he doesn't spend the entire season on the bench and Marco Asensio is another talented youngster who could step up an awful lot next term.

That leaves four places for the forwards—two central strikers and two wide options. These players are more direct and goal-oriented than the creative forces we have selected for similar positions in the midfield picks.

Alvaro Morata should get the nod to lead the line as he did at Euro 2016, and the now-Real Madrid man will have confidence in his own ability to be a force. He could be elsewhere by next season, given Zinedine Zidane's continued preference of starting Karim Benzema for Los Blancos, but Morata brings a reasonable goal haul, work rate and good link play to the team—everything Spain need, in other words.

Diego Costa has rediscovered form at club level, and assuming that doesn't deteriorate next season, there won't be too much competition to stop him being the high-impact alternative.

Out wide, Pedro should be an easy pick, given his experience, his penchant for scoring important goals and his knowhow at the top level.

The final choice is really all about preference: would Lopetegui want simple pace? Goals from wide? A third centre-forward? Or will an all-rounder suddenly make an unexpected breakthrough, perhaps Inaki Williams or Mikel Oyarzabal? It's an open call, but we're going for proven quality this time around: Juan Mata will make the grade and play a part off the bench for Spain.

Lopetegui has an embarrassment of riches available to him, and this 23—or one very similar—could certainly be capable of bringing the World Cup trophy back with them.

For some nations, picking 23 players to go to the finals means leaving perhaps three or four talented and deserving players unhappy at being left out. For Spain, it means almost an entire alternative squad is sent on their holidays instead of to the national team hotel.

We've only included here the biggest dropouts or those who potentially have the biggest hopes of inclusion.

In goal, one old and one young are set for disappointment in Pepe Reina and Kepa of Napoli and Athletic Bilbao, respectively.

Nacho Monreal and Sergi Roberto could conceivably be back-up full-backs, but the competition is fierce, and with age against the former and potential lack of first-team action troubling the latter, both are dismissed. Similarly, at centre-back we've overlooked Marc Bartra.

Midfield is simply absurd, such is the depth of a stacked Spain roll-call, but between inexperience, advanced age, slightly lacking stellar quality or simply preferring other options, each of Saul Niguez, Ander Herrera, Manu Trigueros, Bruno Soriano and Mikel San Jose are left out.

Additionally, Cesc Fabregas has been around the squad for an awfully long time, but there's no place for him in our 23—barring a move away from Chelsea to a club where he is a nailed-on starter as a No. 10. We're not expecting it to happen, so he's out.

Further forward, all of Vitolo, Nolito, Lucas Vazquez and Paco Alcacer will be considered, but ultimately dropped in favour of others.