Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has stated that the decisions regarding the squad for the 2026 World Cup were made by him and his coaching staff several months ago. Notably, his selection for this summer’s tournament notably excludes any players from Real Madrid for the first time.
When asked to describe his squad in three words, de la Fuente highlighted “Quality, humanity, and competitiveness,” while also acknowledging areas for improvement. He has consistently expressed confidence in Spain’s chances, positioning them as one of the tournament favorites. The most significant injury concern is Fermin Lopez, who will miss the competition due to a broken metatarsal, while Dani Carvajal’s exclusion was previously confirmed.
Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams Injury Management
The fitness of several key players remains a point of discussion for the Spanish team. Mikel Merino has been included despite not playing since January. Both Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal are recovering from hamstring injuries, with concerns that the latter might miss the initial two matches.
“We are not going to rush any process; we are coordinating closely with the clubs,” de la Fuente assured. “The information we have is that everyone will be available for either the first or the second match. We will not take risks unless absolutely necessary. However, if taking a risk on the players becomes unavoidable โ while still ensuring maximum safety โ they themselves are eager to take that risk for the sake of a World Cup.”
De la Fuente: ‘The List Has Been Finalized for Months’
The Spain manager described the squad selection process as challenging, explaining that they initially evaluated 50-70 players before narrowing down the list. He found the conversations with players who would not be included to be the most difficult part.
“The list had been all but finalized for many months, awaiting the adverse circumstances that inevitably arise in football,” he explained. “I would like to take a moment to mention Fermin [Lopez]. The final player on the listโฆ Well, yesterday, right up until 11:30 at night, we were glued to the Villarreal-Atletico match. And that is when the final list was locked in.”
The goalkeeping selection also drew attention, with long-time third-choice Alex Remiro being left out. When questioned about Joan Garcia’s inclusion potentially challenging Unai Simon’s starting position, de la Fuente expressed surprise that David Raya was not mentioned in the discussion.
“This has been a very carefully considered, thoroughly analyzed list. We have spent months thinking about it. We have the best goalkeepers in the world; whoever had been selected would have offered absolute reliability and could have started. We have three goalkeepers of proven competence and quality.”
“I Don’t Look at Where the Players Are”
A significant talking point was the absence of Real Madrid players, with Eric Garcia (Barcelona) and Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid) being selected over Dean Huijsen. Neither Garcia nor Pubill have been regular fixtures in de la Fuente’s squads.
“Eric has been with me at the U-19 and U-21 levelsโฆ I know what he’s like, and I have absolutely no doubts about him. Due to circumstances, he hasn’t been with us previously, but he is one of our own. Pubill hasn’t been with me personally, but he has worked with Santi Denia, and we know him perfectly well. We have an exceptional direct report on him. He is another member of this family.”
“I am the national team coach, and I do not look at where the players come from. They are players for the national team; I do not look at one club or another. I do not harbor the kind of parochialism that a fan might have. The only thing I want is for these footballers to feel proud to represent the national team.”
A record eight Barcelona players are in the squad, including Gavi.
“I don’t know if there are eight of them โ and if I did know, I’ve forgotten. They are simply players from the national team, nothing more. And Gavi is a very beloved, highly appreciated player; he is the team’s ‘toy’ โ and I say that affectionately. As for his footballing ability, I hardly need to introduce him to anyone โ his versatilityโฆ Gavi brings us exactly what I’m talking about. And he’s back, and he’s going to be at a World Cup โ so, in terms of motivation, you couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Spain will play two friendly matches before the World Cup, against Iraq and Peru. Their opening game of the tournament will be against Cape Verde on June 15th. Spain’s subsequent group stage matches are against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
