Spain rocked by row involving key player before Euro 2024 final against England

Spain have been rocked by a heated row involving one of their key players on the eve of the Euro 2024 final.

La Roja will be looking to win their first silverware on Sunday since their 2012 European Championship triumph.

They will face Gareth Southgate's Three Lions in what is shaping up to be a thrilling encounter.   

However, all does not appear to be well inside the Spanish camp with their talented winger Nico Williams at the centre of a fiery dispute.

The Spanish FA are said to be in a bitter dispute with Athletic Bilbao president Jon Uriarte, who has slammed the national team over their treatment of his player Nico Williams.

Uriarte has said he is furious at the lack of protection over Williams, who has been subject to intense transfer speculation at the tournament.  

In a strongly-worded statement he said: 'Nico, a player who is committed to Athletic, has been subjected to a bombardment of questions about his future in an excessive and uncontrolled manner while at the European Championships.

'The RFEF have not been able to protect him. Respect between all the actors who make up football is a fundamental basis, or that's how we view it at Athletic, which does not include subjecting players with contracts at one club to public pressure to join other clubs.

'There are no limits to Athletic's aspirations. We are demonstrating that we have an attractive project, a winning project for our players and our coach. The proof of that is that we have renewed the contracts of two of our internationals, Unai Simón (2029) and Dani Vivian (2032).

'Nico signed a new deal last year until 2027. Various other sought-after players have also committed their future to the club. Athletic are financially, socially and in sporting terms capable of keeping players of the caliber of those named in its structure, including Nico.'

Responding to his statement, the Spanish FA said: 'RFEF has treated Nico Williams in the same way we have treated the other 25 players who travelled to Germany. 

'The impact that any of his words might have had is totally related to his performances and the great level he's shown, and not to RFEF treating him differently.'

This comes after Alvaro Morata sparked a storm in Spain's camp after threatening to quit the national team after the tournament over 'nonsense' criticism.

Morata, who has captained his country in Germany this summer, previously admitted it would be 'easiest' for him to move abroad because of the poor treatment and laid bare the effect on his family, including his wife and four young children.

He also floated the idea of leaving Atletico Madrid just a week on from seemingly pledging his future to the club, raging that 'in Spain, there's no respect for anyone'.