Spain officially call up Liverpool forward
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Image Credits: Imago ImagesThe 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, looms large over the end of Liverpool’s season.At least 13 first-team players are expected to depart for North America this summer, with Florian Wirtz preparing to represent Germany, Alexander Isak set to lead Sweden, Andy Robertson captaining Scotland in their first World Cup since 1998, Mohamed Salah heading to the tournament in what could be his final act as a Liverpool player, and Alexis Mac Allister eyeing a second successive World Cup with Argentina.For Ibrahima Konate, the question is simply whether he will still be a Red by the time he joins France in June.Not everyone has been so fortunate.Hugo Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon during Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in April and will miss both the remainder of the club season and the World Cup with France, with fears the 23-year-old could be sidelined for as long as nine months.France coach Didier Deschamps called it “a huge blow,” and few at Anfield would disagree.Ekitike had scored 19 goals for Liverpool and France across the season after signing from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79 million last summer, and his trajectory had been one of the most exciting storylines at the club before injury intervened so cruelly.It is against this backdrop of World Cup excitement, heartbreak, and the broader story of international football that Liverpool can now point to a rather different but equally uplifting call-up from Spain — one that signals a very different time horizon.Kessy Ogunlana, a forward in Liverpool’s U14 setup, has received his first ever international call-up, named in the Spain U14 squad for upcoming fixtures against Turkey, Northern Ireland and the UAE in May.It is a landmark moment for the youngster, and a testament to the depth of talent quietly developing at the AXA Training Centre.The Ogunlana name is already well known within Liverpool’s academy circles.Kessy is the younger brother of Edeson Ogunlana, the U15 midfielder who has himself attracted considerable attention for his dual international credentials.Edeson has earned call-ups from both Spain and England at youth level, and was the only player based outside of Spain to be selected for Spain’s U15 squad for an international tournament in October, making his debut against the Republic of Ireland.The fact that both the English and Spanish FAs have competed for Edeson’s international allegiance speaks volumes about just how highly regarded the Ogunlana family name has become in youth football circles.Now it is Kessy’s turn to step into that spotlight.His inclusion in the Spain U14 squad for a three-game May programme marks his first taste of international football, and arriving at that milestone while still in the U14 age group is a significant indicator of a player developing ahead of his years.For Liverpool, Kessy’s call up is another sign of the academy’s strength and the quality emerging through its ranks.It is a reminder that the club’s future is already taking shape, with the next generation continuing to make its mark on the international stage.