Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal will not be participating in what he had hoped would be his final international appearance for Spain. The experienced right-back has been omitted from Spain’s preliminary 55-man squad for the 2026 World Cup by manager Luis de la Fuente.
While the final 26-man squad is not due until May 30th, countries were required to submit a larger preliminary list this week. Information about both inclusions and omissions from this longlist has begun to surface, with some early indications about the final selections also emerging. Reports suggest that Barcelona midfielder Gavi will be named in the final squad, along with teammates Joan Garcia and Pau Cubarsi, while players like Eric Garcia face an anxious wait.
De la Fuente had previously indicated that he was in communication with Carvajal regarding a potential return to the national team, hinting that he would assess the 34-year-old’s fitness before making a final decision. Carvajal rejoined Real Madrid training on Wednesday following a minor hamstring injury. However, it appears his recovery has not been sufficient to convince de la Fuente of his optimal form, as Cadena Cope reports his exclusion from the squad.
Real Madrid teammates Dean Huijsen, Fran Garcia, and Gonzalo Garcia have been named in the longlist, though only the central defender is considered to have a strong chance of making the final cut. Another prominent figure from Spain’s 2024 Euros victory, captain Alvaro Morata, has also been left out. The former Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid forward had not featured in de la Fuente’s recent Spain squads over the past year and has struggled to regain his top form with Como in Serie A.
