For the first time in its history, Spain will participate in the World Cup without any players from Real Madrid in its ranks. Luis de la Fuente unveiled his 26-player squad on Monday, but not a single eligible Real Madrid player was included.
In contrast, La Roja’s squad features nearly a third of Barcelona players. However, de la Fuente had limited options from Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos, Raul Asencio, and Dani Carvajal have collectively earned only one cap in the last 18 months, while Thiago Pitarch and Fran Garcia were not considered. The closest candidate was Gonzalo Garcia, who is part of the nine-player ‘support squad’ that will commence training with La Roja before their final friendly against Peru in Mexico. Nevertheless, the most significant omission was undoubtedly Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen’s Reaction to Spain Squad Omission
After it became evident that Carvajal would not be returning to the Spain squad, Huijsen appeared to be the only player with a genuine chance, having secured seven caps over the past 18 months. However, the strong performances of Marc Pubill and Eric Garcia earned them spots ahead of Huijsen, alongside regulars Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi.
This decision has not been well-received by the Real Madrid star. The 21-year-old shared a screenshot on his Instagram story showcasing the Sofascore Team of the Season, which also includes Cubarsi and Garcia.
De la Fuente’s Selection Rationale
Since Euro 2024, de la Fuente has largely remained consistent with the players who achieved victory in Germany. Nonetheless, the centre-back position has seen considerable changes, with both Robin Le Normand, a starter in the Euro 2024 final, and Dani Vivian being left out. Nacho Fernandez has not been part of the Spain squad since.
While Garcia and Pubill have been standout performers for their respective clubs, Cubarsi has been a consistent fixture for de la Fuente since the Euros. Laporte’s experience is likely valued, while Huijsen struggled to maintain his starting position in the latter half of the year. De la Fuente himself explained that the majority of his squad selections had been finalized for several months.
