Woe are the fortunes of Ander Herrera, whose struggles to find consistent minutes in a star-studded Manchester United midfield are dwarfed only by his inability to do the same for the Spanish national side.
Herrera, 26, has yet to be handed a senior cap for La Roja, sitting behind the likes of Sergio Busquets, Santi Cazorla, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Juan Mata, and Isco in arguably the world's richest midfield depth chart.
Even with a seemingly insurmountable task of finding a spot in Vincente Del Bosque's side for Euro 2016, Herrera appears up for the undertaking.
"I know we have, in Spain, maybe the best midfielders in the world right now but I think I have the quality to be in the national team. I will fight for it. I fought last season for that and I am trying to do it again. I think I have the quality to be in it and I am showing that," Herrera told MUTV.
"Of course, I wish for it," the former Athletic Bilbao player said, "It's the next step for me. When you arrive at Manchester United, you are now in the biggest club with the best supporters and maybe the most followed club in the world."
Herrera appears to understand that a prerequisite for making Spain's national side is regular playing time for Louis van Gaal's lot, remaining optimistic in the face of limited minutes and a recent injury.
"I think I am ready to help the team (at United), help my teammates, and I am going to play wherever the manager wants me to play," he said. "So I am doing the right things to get into the national team but, of course, the (international) manager will decide.
"Of course, it's the next dream, the next step for me. I know it's difficult but I will try to do my best to be involved in the European Championship."