5 players who could switch allegiance and play for Spain

#3 and #2: Lucas and Theo Hernández (France)

Lucas (front) & Theo (back) would be fine additions to La Furia's back line

The brothers who hail from Marseille in France have followed their father’s footsteps to Spain and Atletico Madrid (the senior Hernández; Jean-François was a centre-back by trade and had played for both Atletico Madrid and Olympique Marseille).

The Hernández brothers have spent the majority of their footballing lives learning their craft at Atleti and rising through the youth teams to the first team until younger brother, Theo got upset at a perceived lack of opportunities and made the trip to bitter cross-town rivals Real Madrid for a reported fee of €24m after a successful loan spell last season at Alaves.

Both are defenders and while Lucas, like their dad, is a centre-back, Theo is a rampaging left-back in the tradition of the finest attacking fullbacks of the modern age.

It is being said that the RFEF have already commenced moves to get the brothers to switch from their native France and play for Spain, a push that seems to be working as Theo has recently declined call-ups by the France-U21 side.

While the younger Hernández has not hidden his desire to go red and ditch the blue of France, Lucas is more reticent but the presence of many centre-back options for coach Didier Deschamps; Raphael Varane, Presnel Kimpembe, Samuel Umtiti, Dayot Upamecano and senior centre-backs like Laurent Koscielny mean his chances of playing are slim.

This is in contrast to the La Furia set up where only Sergio Ramos and Gerald Pique are established centre-backs and as such, there is an almighty scramble behind the two world-class defenders among the young, a setup in which Lucas can feel good about his chances.