David Raya’s wait finally ended at the weekend. Saturday night delivered the David Raya Spain start that Arsenal supporters have been asking about for a long time. Luis de la Fuente handed the goalkeeper his chance against the Czech Republic in a Nations League fixture, and Spain won 3-1.
Jiri Slama beat Raya in the 69th minute to give the Czech Republic a route back into the game. Fifteen minutes later, Raya dropped a routine free-kick straight into danger, and the loose ball produced a shock equaliser. The goal was ruled out for a foul on Robin Le Normand, sparing Raya’s blushes. Mikel Merino made sure of the points with a third goal just before full time.
The Spanish press gave Raya a mixed verdict on an eventful night, with the fullest detail set out in the football.london report that first covered the game.
One more fixture awaits Arsenal’s Spanish trio before they return to club duty, with a trip to a struggling Croatia side still to come in the Nations League group. Thomas Tuchel’s England put seven past Croatia in the same group on Saturday night, a reminder of the test still waiting for Spain’s players.
First Half Action
De la Fuente made the call before kick-off, handing Raya a rare opportunity to prove he can be trusted again at international level. The Arsenal goalkeeper’s last competitive appearance for Spain had come back in 2024, during the previous Nations League campaign.
That calm form at club level has not gone unnoticed. Raya’s Arsenal recognition for his Save of the Month nomination arrived only weeks before this call-up. Raya has also had separate awards backing for the Yashin Trophy, with many rating him among Europe’s best goalkeepers.
Spain settled into the game well, and for long spells Raya had little to occupy him behind a side in control. That calm would not survive the full ninety minutes, but through the first half there was no sign of the trouble to come. It would arrive in a frantic second-half spell that nobody inside the stadium saw coming. Supporters watching from afar had little reason for concern as the interval approached.
Second Half Drama
The game changed after the hour mark. In the 69th minute, Slama beat Raya to pull the Czech Republic back into contention. It was the first real test of the goalkeeper’s evening. Mundo Deportivo reported that the whole Spain side grew a little nervous once Slama’s effort went in, with the control of the first hour briefly disappearing.
Worse followed only fifteen minutes later. Raya dropped the ball from what should have been a routine free-kick, and the Czech Republic pounced on the loose ball to apparently snatch a stunning equaliser. Estadio Deportivo felt Spain continued to underperform in the moments after Slama’s goal.
The outlet argued that Raya’s fumble escaped real scrutiny for one reason only. The referee had already blown for a foul on Le Normand in the build-up. That call bore more than a passing resemblance to the marginal, foul-in-the-build-up decisions explained in our VAR explainer from last month’s Sunderland game.
Media verdicts Raya’s night against Czech Republic
SPORT took a kinder view of the goalkeeper’s overall night. The paper rated him among the steadier performers and noted he “didn’t have much to do” for long periods. It was still clear, though, that he “made a mistake” when the disallowed effort flew in. AS reached a similar conclusion, writing that De la Fuente’s decision to start him was “rewarded” on balance.
AS made clear that Raya still gave his side “some scares” along the way. The paper added that he could do little about Slama’s opener. He had, in AS’s words, effectively gifted the Czech Republic a second goal before the foul on Le Normand wiped it out.
Marca framed the error as a blunder and noted that Raya’s blushes were spared only because the referee’s whistle had already sounded before the ball crossed the line.
Martin Zubimendi, deputising for Rodri in midfield, helped calm any lingering nerves. AS credited him with ensuring Slama’s goal amounted to “just a scare” rather than anything more serious. Spain regained their composure, and Merino made the points safe with a third goal just before full time.
It completed a 3-1 win that had been far more eventful than the scoreline alone suggests. Whatever its flaws, this David Raya Spain start has pushed the goalkeeper back into De la Fuente’s plans for the first time since 2024.
David Raya verdict
David Raya, 6/10: Largely untroubled for an hour, Raya was beaten by Slama’s effort and then fumbled a routine free-kick that nearly proved costly. Spared by the officials’ call against Le Normand, his night ended in relief rather than redemption.
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