The World Cup is fast approaching, and Wayne Rooney has backed an Arsenal player to star at the tournament.
16 Arsenal players have been selected to represent their nations in total, though that will change to 15 following Jurrien Timber’s unfortunate groin injury ruling him out of the tournament.
It is fast approaching now, and fans and pundits alike have been giving their predictions for it, including Wayne Rooney, who expects one Arsenal player in particular to shine.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rooney backed David Raya to win the Golden Glove award at this summer’s tournament.
The goalkeeper has produced an outstanding season for the Gunners, which, in many people’s eyes, has been deserving of the Player of the Season award.
TRUE or FALSE: David Raya is the best goalkeeper in the world…
However, there is still uncertainty over whether Raya will actually get on the field in the summer, and Rooney acknowledges as much.
Spain head into the World Cup with three goalkeepers — Raya, Joan Garcia of Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon.
Luis De La Fuente has historically preferred Simon as his number one, but Raya’s performances across both the Premier League and Champions League this season have surely made him impossible to overlook.
Even De La Fuente himself recently admitted it would be “unfair” if Raya was not more widely recognised, calling him one of the five best goalkeepers in the world.
If Raya gets the nod and Spain go deep into the tournament — which, as European champions with one of the most talented squads in the world, is entirely plausible — Rooney’s prediction could well come true.
David Raya deserves to be Spain’s number one at the World Cup
It remains to be seen whether De la Fuente will opt for Raya or Simon as his starting goalkeeper for the World Cup.
The Arsenal goalkeeper’s record this season has been unimpeachable, resulting in a third consecutive Premier League Golden Glove award.
Raya has been handed the number one shirt number, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be first choice — Simon has typically worn the number 23 in the past.
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But it feels as if even De la Fuente himself has yet to make up his mind.
The Arsenal stopper played the second half of Spain’s friendly in the early hours of Tuesday morning against Peru, with Simon playing the first half.
Simon is an excellent goalkeeper in his own right and ultimately helped Spain win the Euros two summers ago.
But Raya has simply been better this season.
Rooney backing him for the Golden Glove is another voice adding to a chorus that De La Fuente will find increasingly hard to ignore.
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