Sources within the Spanish Football Federation have confirmed to FutbolMLS.com a report in Spanish newspaper Marca that the US national team could potentially host reigning World Cup champions Spain in an international friendly in November.
The sources indicate, however, that the match will only be carried out if Spain finish atop their group in UEFA World Cup qualifying following their group stage finale against Georgia on Oct. 15, and avoid appearing in a two-legged playoff in November to reach next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Spain currently carry a one-point lead on France in Europe’s Group I, with three games remaining in the group stage.
U.S. Soccer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from FutbolMLS.com on Thursday. The USMNT take on Costa Rica on Friday (10 pm ET, beIn Sport) in the first of two World Cup qualifying matches in the next six days that could seal their passage to Brazil with two more games left in the Hexagonal.
According to Marca, Spain’s current first option for a November friendly is against Kazakhstan on Nov. 15. Spain have, however, received other offers to play international friendlies during the same time period.
According to sources for FutbolMLS.com, a representative from soccer promotion company Relevent Sports recently attended a meeting with the general secretary of the Spanish Federation, Jorge Pérez, to present a formal offer to bring Spain back to the United States this fall after the team played friendlies against Haiti in Miami and the Republic of Ireland in New York this summer.
The US have already been linked to a potential match in Scotland in November, although U.S. Soccer declined to comment to MLSsoccer.com on the proposed match earlier this week.
The US have one win in five matches against Spain, coming in the 2009 Confederations Cup semifinals. Spain won the last meeting 4-0 at Gillette Stadium in June 2011 (above) in the Americans’ final tuneup match before an eventual runner-up finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
