David Raya, the Reliable Substitute Facing His Great Opportunity

The goalkeeper position, a role with a unique idiosyncrasy in football, demands patience like no other while waiting for an opportunity that must not be missed. David Raya finds himself at this crossroads, indispensable at Arsenal, one of the greats of the powerful English Premier League, but in the shadow of Unai Simón in the Spanish national team.

The absence of the Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper, who underwent wrist arthroscopy surgery after the Euro Cup, opens the door to a starting position for La Roja’s theoretical number two. Raya has garnered praise from the press and English fans after one of the saves of the year against Aston Villa. However, this notoriety in England contrasts with his low profile in Spain, largely because he has not played in La Liga.

Although he knows he has an advantage over Álex Remiro and Unai Simón, Raya remains cautious as he prepares to play against Serbia in Belgrade if Luis de la Fuente maintains the current hierarchy. "I come to give my best and I don't know if I will play because there are two other great goalkeepers like Álex Remiro and Robert Sánchez. It’s up to the coach who will play in the upcoming matches. If it ends up being me, I will give my best, not just for myself but also for the team," he stated initially, aware that the pitch is what ultimately decides.

With six matches for La Roja under his belt, with five victories including one in the Euro Cup group stage against Albania, Raya showcases a positive attitude aimed at achieving success. "I am a very positive person who has a lot of self-confidence, which is very important for this profession and for anything in life," assured the Barcelona-born goalkeeper.

Despite the pleasant sensation of a brilliant Euro Cup triumph and the dangerous temptation to relax in a less attractive competition like the Nations League, Raya detects no hint of complacency or unnecessary confidence in a squad still hungry for victory. "This team has a winning mentality. The Euro Cup is already behind us and now the Nations League is our current competition. We want to win it again; we have an amazing group," recalled the 'Gunner' goalkeeper, eager to compete in a tournament where La Roja "is going all out."

Regarding match saturation and the influence of the calendar on players' health, Raya shares concerns about excessive competition but also accepts it as today's football reality. "We have talked many times about the calendar being very tight, but it is what it is and we have to move forward and play football. We trust the union is doing everything possible to help us." "I wish Fermín a speedy recovery," he added concerning the Barcelona player, the latest to be injured and forced to leave the under-21 camp.