The globalization of La Roja: how it changed during this century

One hundred years of calls and matches have served to see 798 players with the National Team. The identity card of the internationals is a mirror of the soccer opening of Spain. Only players born or with close ties in the northern regions attended the 1920 Antwerp Games. The case of Agustín Sancho, Valencian by birth, and Joaquín Vázquez, Extremadura, are not accidental, because their lives and football careers moved quickly to Catalonia and the Basque Country, then Galicia, respectively. The majority of Northerners replied in numerous subsequent appointments. Of the 184 international players in the Basque Country, the community that has contributed the most players, 155 were born before 1967. However, the passage of time has drawn a new map with a more equitable distribution that includes north and south, west and east, and also leaves room for the foreign legion, made up of 41 players (13 from Argentina, flagged by Di Stéfano).

The look at the clubs also gives clues about the globalization experienced in La Roja. The great exodus of the Spanish player during the XXI century has caused the proliferation of foreign teams in the calls. There are already 30 clubs from other leagues that have given players to the Selection for the 48 nationals, led by Barcelona (127 footballers) and then Real Madrid (123). The appearance of teams like Dinamo Zagreb (Dani Olmo) or Wolverhampton (Jonny) is defining. There is only one non-European club, New York City, that has contributed one footballer. David Villa, along with Julio Salinas, the only called with up to five different teams, was the culprit in 2017.

The multiplication of parties from 1978 triggered the number of caps. Of the 39 players who have exceeded 50 matches, only Santillana, Camacho and Arconada started earlier (1975). Sergio Ramos, who aspires to become the player in the world with the most appearances in a national team, leads the ranking with 170 games, followed by Casillas (167), the best goalkeeper of the 55 who performed with La Roja. The backbone of champion Spain between 2008 and 2012 makes up, mainly, this honorary record. The contrast is put by footballers who barely competed in a match. The figure rises to 180, being the decade of the 70 the one that more players saw their debut in an ephemeral way (24). Internationals for a day.