Will David De Gea’s Issue Affect Spain?

Italy won the 1982 World Cup through the extraordinary performance of a striker, Paolo Rossi, who just returned from a long ban for alleged match fixing.

France won it on home soil in 1998 despite a long, ugly and potentially debilitating battle with their football media. There were all-out hostilities between the L’Equipe group and coach Aime Jacquet, and I can testify, having spoken to the players, that they were prickly, aggressive and hostile.

Italy repeated their win-in-adversity World Cup triumph in 2006 despite their football being in utter chaos domestically, as scandals of referee influencing and match fixing culminated in mass raids and arrests just before Marcello Lippi’s boys in blue triumphed in Berlin.

There are other examples of tournaments being won against a backdrop of unity forged in the white heat of scandal, disgrace or animosity.

So the Independent’s Peter Jensen carefully asked an intelligent question at Spain’s prematch news conference. His query was whether David De Gea’s recent legal difficulties might have that unifying and impetus-giving effect.

Manager Vicente Del Bosque dealt with it by alluding to the fact that his team are always under pressure and accustomed to having to unite in order to overcome rivals.

After all, Spain are the two-time defending Euro champions and the No. 1 target for any up-and-coming challenger.

Of course, the controversy raises the question of whether it might influence which goalkeeper — De Gea or the old standard, Iker Casillas — Del Bosque will select for Spain’s opener at Euro 2016. But the Marquis, a regal title earned via a World Cup win of his own, didn’t duck the theme. Indeed, you might deduce that Del Bosque has made his goalkeeping choice by the fact that the squad captain, Casillas, didn’t face the media on Sunday.

Normally, the captain would speak in advance of the first match, but the point is that if he’d done so here in Toulouse, it would have been met by general “Iker plays!” media coverage whether factually accurate or not.

So does his absence and the presence of two vice captains, Sergio Ramos and Andres Iniesta, suggest that De Gea will be awarded his first senior tournament start?

Del Bosque has been asked that a thousand different ways by ingenious reporters who want to have the top line. What the Spain boss actually said was: “If we noticed that the fuss around him was affecting his capacities, we’d take action. But for so long as that’s not the case, we’ll treat him completely normally — as we’d have treated him if this issue had never been raised.”

The degree to which this external issue stimulates support for the Manchester United keeper and causes a beneficial closing of the ranks between players probably depends on whether De Gea is chosen to play. If he’s in his habitual seat on the bench, then there’s less for other players to think or be concerned about. He steps back from the front line of action.

If he’s playing, then sure, it’s likely that this competitive, elite-level group will look to give the 25-year-old a little bit more carino (affectionate support) than would normally be the case. Because it would be in their interest.

However, Del Bosque told the media here (and not for the first time) that he’ll make his final decision on Monday.

Leaving things this late implies, to me, that Del Bosque has been giving Casillas, his former pupil at Real Madrid, his captain, his talismanic penalty-saver every chance in training to prove his sharpness.

The fact that Spain have had two either largely or completely closed training sessions in the last few days also implies that Del Bosque doesn’t want journalists to see all the tactical work his team has undertaken.

Frankly, I believe what the Spain manager is saying. He has 10 of his team fully chosen and has a decent idea about who to play in goal.

But now that he’s come this far, what’s wrong with the good old-fashioned idea of sleeping on a problem? Trying to let the firm decision, the right decision come to you when your mind is refreshed and calm, and the new light of an important day shines clarity on all the issues.

Asked whether he was adding tension to his two principal keepers by not taking them aside and telling them his decision, Del Bosque had a dry quip.

“They’re grown-ups now, out of puberty,” he said.

Time and time again all his players have answered clearly, firmly and convincingly about the good atmosphere in the squad, and for those of us who’ve been watching training and doing media work, it’s been obvious that the new kids on the block are happy, relaxed, welcomed and supported.

Whether the Marquis picks De Gea or Casillas, it does appear that the atmosphere, the team spirit, the will to win — all these vital elements — are in pretty robust order without the need for stormy external events to force a tournament-winning unity.