Spain will head to the World Cup without a single Real Madrid player for the first time in their history, as Luis de la Fuente announced his 26-man squad for this summer's tournament. The absence of Real Madrid stars such as Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal, and Gonzalo García marks a historic break from tradition.
Lamine Yamal Included Despite Injury
De la Fuente included Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, who tore his left hamstring on April 22 and missed the remainder of his club's La Liga campaign. Despite concerns that the 18-year-old might miss Spain's World Cup opener, De la Fuente expressed confidence in his availability. “We’re very calm,” De la Fuente said. “I think that if there are no setbacks, we can almost have everyone available from the first game.”
The coach also addressed the fitness of other players, including Nico Williams and Mikel Merino, who are dealing with injury concerns. He stated that the medical team has been coordinating with clubs and that he has no doubt they will be ready for the first match, or at least the second.
Notable Omissions
Apart from the Real Madrid trio, De la Fuente left out injured Barcelona midfielder Fermín López and Como forward Álvaro Morata, who captained Spain to victory at Euro 2024. “It’s difficult,” De la Fuente said of leaving players out. “We think about every possible scenario... We’ve chosen these 26. I think we’ve covered the needs of the team.”
Spain's Group and Preparation
Spain, ranked second in the world behind France, are in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. They open their campaign against Cape Verde on June 15 in Atlanta, followed by Saudi Arabia on June 21, also in Atlanta. They conclude the group stage against Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The 2010 World Cup champions will prepare with friendlies against Iraq and Peru. They aim to improve on their 2022 performance, where they were eliminated by Morocco in the round of 16.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Club), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona)
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club), Álejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Eric García (Barcelona), Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid), Marc Pubill (Atlético Madrid)
Midfielders: Gavi (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), Álex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Mikel Merino (Arsenal)
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Yéremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Víctor Muñoz (Osasuna)
