Leeds United trio given good and bad news as abnormal announcement video lands

Leeds’ crop of defensive players is as talented and internationally recognised as any other position in the squad.

Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Liam Cooper and Rasmus Kristensen have all represented their nations at senior level, while Charlie Cresswel, Junior Firpo and Pascal Struijk have earned caps at youth international level.

Most recently, Dutchman Struijk was called up to the Netherlands’ provisional squad ahead of UEFA Nations’ League fixtures later this month.

However, the 23-year-old has been omitted from the final selection, dashing faint hopes of a late World Cup call-up in two months’ time.

The central defender, who has deputised at left-back so far this season, finally won the attention of Oranje boss Louis van Gaal during his third season as a Premier League player, but ultimately misses out.

Elsewhere, Diego Llorente has been named in Luis Enrique’s Spain squad for the country’s upcoming internationals, with fans of Selección de fútbol de España discovering the former Real Sociedad man’s involvement in obscure fashion.

Aboard a road-bike in the Spanish countryside, national team boss Luis Enrique names his 25-man squad for their Nations’ League fixtures, as he rides over the names of his selections, painted onto the road in front.

Despite his goalscoring start to 2022/23, there was to be no place for Rodrigo Moreno, though, as the 31-year-old recovers from a shoulder dislocation picked up towards the end of August.

Meanwhile, Charlie Cresswell – currently on loan at Championship side Millwall – has earned another call-up to England’s supremely talented Under-21 group owing to his involvement with the south London club this season.