Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente revealed the 26-man squad for the June 2026 World Cup without any Real Madrid players, ending a streak dating back to 1950 [1, 2, 3]. Instead, the squad includes eight players from Barcelona: Joan García, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres [1, 2, 3].
Real Madrid defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were both left out of the roster, marking a significant departure from previous selections [1, 2, 3]. De la Fuente stressed that club affiliation did not influence his decisions. "I'm the manager and I don't look at where the players come from. They're national team players; I don't look at one club or another," he said. "All I want is for these players to feel proud to represent the national team" [1].
Seven players in the squad currently play in the English Premier League, including Arsenal’s David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, and Manchester City's Rodri [1, 2, 3]. Support players Gonzalo García from Real Madrid and Marc Bernal from Barcelona will train with the team ahead of the tournament [3].
Several players are managing minor injury concerns but are expected to be available. De la Fuente indicated that Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Mikel Merino have hamstring issues but will likely be fit for the competition. "We're very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we'll have everyone available from the very first match. We're in close contact with the clubs' medical teams," he said [1].
Spain enters the World Cup as one of the favorites after winning the Euro 2024 title, carrying strong confidence and depth into the tournament [1, 2, 3]. De la Fuente acknowledged the complexity of team selection, saying, "It's difficult. We think about every possible scenario that can happen in games with our opponents... I think we've covered the needs of the team" [3].
Spain will prepare with warm-up friendlies against Iraq on June 4 in A Coruña and Peru on June 8 in Puebla, Mexico [3]. Their first World Cup game is scheduled for June 15 against Cape Verde in Atlanta [3].
