Del Bosque defends birthday boy Casillas

Casillas has been warming the bench at Real since returning from a broken hand after he fell out with coach Jose Mourinho but Del Bosque said he had faith in his captain, who turned 32 on Monday, and he would be travelling to the warm-up tournament for next year's World Cup.

"We are publishing the squad list in a week's time and as long as nothing strange happens he [Casillas] will be on it because he is our captain who has represented us in recent years and we have confidence in him," Del Bosque, a former Real coach, said at a publicity event in Madrid.

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