Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has defended his choice to select Jesus Navas over Tottenham defender Pedro Porro for his team’s Euro 2024 campaign this summer.

On Monday, De la Fuente unveiled his provisional 29-man squad, which would be reduced by three players following Spain’s June friendly against Andorra and Northern Ireland.

Porro has been one of Spurs‘ most impressive right-backs this season, with three goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

However, it was insufficient for the Spurs defender to make Spain’s preliminary team, ahead of Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal and 38-year-old Navas, who plays for Sevilla in La Liga.

When asked about his decision to include Navas in his squad, De la Fuente stated during his press conference that “Jesus Navas can contribute a lot to the team.”

‘He is a captain, an inspiration, and a part of our team’s history. He has won the World Cup, the European Championship, and the Nations League. Every day, he serves as an example for the rest of us. In addition to his football talent, he can make a significant contribution to our dressing room.

When asked about his decision to include Navas in his squad, De la Fuente stated during his press conference that “Jesus Navas can contribute a lot to the team.”

‘He is a captain, an inspiration, and a part of our team’s history. He has won the World Cup, the European Championship, and the Nations League. Every day, he serves as an example for the rest of us. In addition to his football talent, he can make a significant contribution to our dressing room.

‘He has faced adversity, as have many of his teammates, but he has always persevered. Jesus Navas never fails. I’ll also take this time to say it.

There are footballers that are born to compete for their clubs, particularly the national team. He is one of those who transforms when he wears the national team jersey.

‘It appears he was born to be an international footballer. We celebrate him.

‘We are overjoyed that he is here with us and still has the excitement that comes with winning everything. He believes he can yet improve.

De la Fuente has also come under fire for choosing Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella over Miguel Gutierrez, who has been one of Girona’s best players in La Liga this season.

“There are those who we believe are better in our approach.” De la Fuente said.

‘We believe Cucurella and [Alejandro] Grimaldo performed admirably and deserved their positions.

‘The situations we present work best for us. Right now, these are the 29 best players to defend our vision.