Spain manager Vicente del Bosque admits Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes could yet make his squad for the World Cup this summer.
Despite keeping goal for a club team widely regarded as the best in the world, Valdes has yet to earn a cap for his country, such is the strong competition for Spain's No.1 shirt.
Real Madrid shot-stopper Iker Casillas is Spain's long-standing first choice, with Liverpool's Jose Reina and Villarreal's Diego Lopez his regular understudies.
However, national team boss Del Bosque insists Valdes' club form has not gone unnoticed and has encouraged the Barcelona star to continue his good work in the build-up to South Africa.
Great form
"The doors to the national team are not closed to any player," Del Bosque told Veo Marca .
"Valdes has been in great form. I know that he helped Barcelona to win all those trophies last season.
"There is strong competition and, at the moment, I have not found the need to call him up because we have great keepers.
"But he needs to keep working hard and continue to play well because nobody has yet been excluded."
Valdes has won 11 trophies in his time with the Catalan outfit, including an unprecedented treble last season, and has been rewarded the Zanora Trophy for best keeper in the Primera Division on two occasions.
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