An unnamed Spain player has given up his entire one million euro World Cup winning bonus and donated it to staff of the Spanish Football Federation, in a gesture of gratitude that has only now come to light ahead of Saturday's Nations League clash with England at Wembley.

Spanish newspaper AS reported the story without revealing the player's identity, noting that he specifically asked to remain anonymous.

The gesture was directed at the federation employees who worked behind the scenes throughout Spain's nearly two-month World Cup campaign in North America, supporting the squad from the earliest days of preparation through to the final.

Spain's total prize pool from the tournament reached around 50 million euros, with each of the 26 players in the squad entitled to a bonus of roughly one million euros following their triumph.

One player decided to forgo his share entirely, redistributing it among the staff he considered companions on the journey rather than keeping it for himself.

The report described it as a thank-you to the unsung figures who stood behind the team at every stage, particularly the staff based at the training camp who worked day and night for the duration of the tournament.

The player's wish to stay out of the spotlight has been respected, with no detail given that might identify him.

Spain's World Cup campaign under Luis de la Fuente was widely praised not only for the quality of football but for the collective spirit that ran through every level of the organisation.

The anonymous donation adds a further dimension to that narrative, pointing to a dressing room culture that extended its sense of togetherness beyond the 26 players and the coaching staff.

Spain face England at Wembley on Saturday in the Nations League, with the world champions wearing two stars on their shirts for the first time.