Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has revealed his squad selection for the 2026 World Cup, with a notable absence of any players from Real Madrid in the main team. This marks an unprecedented moment in Spanish football history.
While Dean Huijsen was considered a strong contender and a regular for Spain over the past year, he was surprisingly overlooked in favor of Marc Pubill and Eric Garcia. Both Pubill and Garcia had stellar seasons with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, thus earning their spots in the squad heading to North America.
However, it appears there will be at least one Real Madrid representative traveling to North America with the Spanish team, albeit through a different route. According to reports from Marca, striker Gonzalo Garcia has been included in the “B list” for the two friendly matches leading up to the tournament in mid-June. One of these preparatory games will be against Peru in Mexico.
In addition to Gonzalo Garcia, de la Fuente has also named Marc Bernal (Barcelona), Javi Rodrรญguez (Celta Vigo), Jesรบs Rodrรญguez (Como), Leo Romรกn (Mallorca), Sergio Gรณmez, Jon Martรญn, Benat Turrientes (Real Sociedad), and Javi Guerra (Valencia) to this extended list. These nine players will train alongside the senior squad in the coming period, and they are positioned to potentially step up if any injuries occur within the main team.
A Significant Opportunity for Gonzalo Garcia
Even if Gonzalo Garcia does not ultimately feature in the World Cup itself, which is a strong possibility, his inclusion in this support squad is a significant personal achievement. Just a year ago, he was relatively unknown, but he has since established himself as a player for Real Madrid and has now caught the attention of the Spanish national team.
This summer could prove to be a pivotal period for Gonzalo Garcia. There is a possibility he might depart Real Madrid. Club management has been impressed with his progress over the last twelve months, but they are reportedly unwilling to hinder his development if it’s determined he would have a limited role next season.
