Former Arsenal star, Santi Cazorla, has been recalled to the Spanish national team for the first time since 2015.
Cazorla, 34, was almost forced into retirement after undergoing 11 operations in two years.
But after battling back and starring for Villarreal this season, he has been selected by Luis Enrique for next month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers with Sweden and the Faroe Islands.
A wound that refused to heal continually opened with Cazorla suffering gangrene and being informed by doctors that an infection had eaten eight centimetres of his Achilles tendon.
Three more aggressive types of bacteria were found, causing infection to the extent that Cazorla was warned at one point that he risked losing his leg.
But after undergoing not just the 11 surgeries but also a number of successful antibiotic treatments – and having skin taken from his forearm and grafted onto the affected area, Cazorla returned to action last summer.
After returning to Villarreal and proving his fitness in training, last July, he returned to competitive action and went on to make 37 appearances in all competitions for the Yellow Submarines.
Spain play away in the Faroe Islands on 7 June before hosting Sweden three days later.
While at Arsenal, Cazorla won two FA Cups and two Community Shields and was named Arsenal Player Of the Season in 2012/2013.
He was a member of the Spanish side that won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
In the 2006/2007 season, he was named Spanish Player of the Year.
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