May 26 – Spain will head to this summer’s World Cup without a single Real Madrid player in their squad for the first time, after head coach Luis de la Fuente named his 26-man selection.
Despite concerns over fitness, Lamine Yamal has been included after suffering a hamstring injury in April that brought an early end to his domestic campaign with FC Barcelona. The teenager is expected to be fit in time for the tournament, alongside fellow doubts Nico Williams and Mikel Merino.
“We’re very calm,” De la Fuente said. “If there are no setbacks, we can almost have everyone available from the first game. The medical staff have been in contact with the clubs and coordinating everything. I have no doubt they’ll be ready.”
The omission of Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Gonzalo García means no player from Real Madrid will feature in Spain’s World Cup squad for the first in the nation’s history.
Also left out are injured midfielder Fermín López and veteran forward Álvaro Morata, who captained Spain to victory at UEFA Euro 2024.
“It’s difficult,” De la Fuente said of his selections. “We think about every possible scenario, the opponents and their characteristics. We believe these 26 players cover the needs of the team. I don’t look at whether they play for one club or another.”
Spain, ranked second in the world behind France, have been drawn in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Their campaign begins against Cape Verde in Atlanta on 15 June.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón, David Raya, Joan García
Defenders: Marc Cucurella, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Alejandro Grimaldo, Pedro Porro, Eric García, Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill
Midfielders: Gavi, Rodri, Pedri, Martín Zubimendi, Fabián Ruiz, Álex Baena, Mikel Merino
Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyarzabal, Yéremy Pino, Borja Iglesias, Víctor Muñoz
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]