David de Gea was left ‘surprised’ after the Spanish FA congratulated him on his international retirement, despite him not hanging up his gloves.
The Manchester United goalkeeper was left out of Spain’s World Cup squad with Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez and David Raya all making the cut in Luis Enrique’s squad.
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De Gea has won 45 caps for Spain but has found his international hopes dashed in recent years after being continually left out, with the stopper not representing his country in over two years.
According to Spanish football journalist Jose Alvarez, this led to an awkward moment when De Gea received a message congratulating him after bringing an end to his international career.
Speaking to El Chiringuito, as translated by Sport Witness, Alvarez said: “De Gea has been a bit of a strange subject.
“Suddenly he disappeared from the call ups a few months ago and Luis Enrique did call David to tell him he was not going to count on him. He told him that it was a technical decision. Obviously, David asked him what the reason was, but he was not given any further explanation.
“A few days later David receives a message from [Luis] Rubiales, president of the Federation, who says ‘David I am glad that you have finally made the decision you have been thinking about. I have already been told that you are leaving the national team’.
“To this David replies ‘Sorry? There is no renunciation of anything, who has told you that I renounce anything? The coach has told me that he is not going to count on me, but I have never renounced the national team, nor do I intend to do so, that is if I am called up’.
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“He was a bit surprised by the communication between Luis Enrique and Rubiales and the message that arrived from Rubiales afterwards.
“The last year and a half De Gea has been very good, being a protagonist for Manchester United in almost every game and he was seen as being a part of the three in the national team.
“I do not say he should be a starter, but he believed he could contribute apart from experience. He was a bit surprised that Rubiales sent him the message saying that he was going to resign from the national team or that he had made the decision after thinking about it, never mind congratulations for taking the decision.”
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