A Costa del Sol walking footballer will represent Spain at the European Nations Cup in Torrevieja next week, with the tournament bringing international competition to Alicante province from 2 to 6 November.
Simon Dunkley, a player with Real Calahonda, was chosen for the 12-person Spain squad after trials in Torrevieja in September. More than 25 players were invited to take part, according to Euro Weekly News, the only supplied report with details of the selection process.
Dunkley has played in the previous two Walking Football World Cups. Spain finished fourth and then third, and he is now hoping to help the team win the Nations Cup. His Real Calahonda teammate, goalkeeper Tony Gill, has also been selected.
Scott Cousins of Malaga WFC is in the squad and will take on coaching duties. Mark Coleman, founder of Spain Walking Football, is also among the players. The team manager is John Crumplin, a former professional footballer who played for Brighton & Hove Albion.
Torrevieja Sports City will host the matches. The venue staged the Walking Football World Nations Cup in 2025, according to the discovery report. The competition is scheduled across six age groups: men’s over-50s, over-60s and over-70s, and women’s over-40s, over-50s and over-60s.
Teams from across Europe are expected to compete, including France, England, Italy, the Netherlands, Wales, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Sweden. The supplied material does not give Spain’s match schedule or identify the precise age category in which Dunkley and his teammates will play.
The tournament offers Costa del Sol supporters a chance to follow local players competing for Spain on home soil. Fixture details and updates are available through the official Spain Walking Football website, the report says.