Ander Iturraspe admits he was surprised to receive the call to be part of Spain’s provisional 30-man World Cup squad.
The 25-year-old midfielder played an important role in helping his club side Athletic Bilbao secure a fourth place finish in La Liga this season, thus confirming their return to the Champions League.
However, speaking at a Press conference today, the player still says he was not expecting to be included by Vicente Del Bosque.
He also praised the attitude of his new international teammates, saying he is impressed by their everlasting will to win despite the glittering careers many of them have enjoyed.
“Athletic had a great season but in any case this call-up surprised me,” Iturraspe told reporters. “It’s the first time and it’s always a surprise when something happens for the first time.
“I am very happy to share a dressing room with great players these days. The acclimatisation is going very well, everyone has welcomed me very well.
“In the past I would have bumped into a few of these players but that’s about it.
“The players in the national team are of the highest class. They have shown this by winning everything, both with their clubs and with the national team.
“They are very competitive, have a lot of desire to win and they will show that in Brazil. They still have a lot of hunger.”
Iturraspe then commented on Diego Costa’s hopes of being fit in time for the defence of La Roja’s World Cup title.
“Diego has had a fantastic season, he has scored a lot of goals and been decisive. He will take the necessary tests and from here we will see the decision the boss eventually makes about him.”
