Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was left confused after being mistakenly congratulated for retiring from international football after being omitted from Spain's 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.
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For the World Cup in Qatar, Spain coach Luis Enrique decided not to include the veteran goalkeeper in his plans and instead opted to go with Premier League duo, Robert Sanchez of Brighton and Hove Albion and David Raya of Brentford, with Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon completing the trio of shot-stoppers that will represent La Roja.
While United's No. 1 never considered himself ineligible for selection, reports in Spain claim that the 32-year-old received a message from the president of the Spanish Football Association, Luis Rubiles, which lauded the 2012/13 Premier League winner for his decision to retire.
Journalist Jose Alvarez told Spanish television show El Chiringuito:
"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.
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"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'.
"He was a bit surprised by the communication between Luis Enrique and Rubiales and the message that arrived from Rubiales afterwards."
De Gea has not been in goal for the 2010 World Cup winners in two years.
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