European champions Spain will head to next month’s World Cup with a squad heavily influenced by league champions Barcelona — and, for the first time since 1950, without a single player from Real Madrid after coach Luis de la Fuente named his 26-man squad on Monday.
Eight players from FC Barcelona were included in the squad, underlining the Catalan club’s growing dominance following back-to-back La Liga titles. ALSO READ: Barcelona seal back-to-back La Liga titles with 2-0 clásico win over Real Madrid.
By contrast, Real Madrid endured a second straight season without a major trophy, despite several of their stars expected to feature at the tournament for other nations, including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham.
Defender Dean Huijsen was among the Madrid-linked players omitted from the squad, while injured midfielder Fermín López was also ruled out after fracturing his right foot earlier this month.
De la Fuente dismissed suggestions that the absence of Madrid players carried any significance.
‘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. I don’t have the same local bias that a fan might have. All I want is for these players to feel proud to represent the national team,’ he told reporters.
Barcelona’s contingent includes goalkeeper Joan García, defenders Pau Cubarsí and Eric García, midfielders Gavi and Pedri, and forwards Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and teenage star Lamine Yamal. ALSO READ: Lamine Yamal, aged 16, makes history at Euro 2024: ‘I only ask to win, win, win.’
Spain will also travel with a strong Premier League presence, including Arsenal trio David Raya, Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, alongside Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella. Merino returns despite playing only once for Arsenal since suffering a foot injury in January, while Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabián Ruiz was also included after a recent injury setback.
There were concerns over the fitness of Yamal and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams after both suffered hamstring and muscle problems late in the season, but De la Fuente said the medical outlook was positive.
‘We are not going to speed up any process, we are in coordination with the clubs,’ De la Fuente said. ‘The information we have is that they will all be ready for the first or the second match. You always want to be careful, but if there’s a time when the players may want to take risks, it’s at the World Cup.’
He later added: ‘We’re very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we’ll have everyone available from the very first match.’
‘We’ll call on the players when we deem it appropriate,’ he said. ‘I’d like to reiterate that we’ll have everyone in top form and we’ll be able to enjoy watching them in the tournament.’
Spain begin their preparations on Saturday and will play warm-up matches against Iraq on 4 June and Peru on 9 June before opening their Group H campaign against Cape Verde in Atlanta on 15 June. They then face Saudi Arabia on 21 June, also in Atlanta, before taking on Uruguay in Guadalajara, Mexico, on 26 June.
La Roja arrive at the tournament as one of the favourites after winning UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany and lifting the UEFA Nations League Finals the year before. Spain were also runners-up to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League.
The team will nevertheless carry the pressure of expectation after failing to progress beyond the last 16 at any World Cup since winning their only title in South Africa in 2010.
ALSO READ: Spain beat England 2-1 to win Euro 2024 – and Carlos Alcaraz wins Wimbledon.
Spain squad:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona)
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Eric García (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Gavi (Barcelona), Álex Baena (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Yéremi Pino (Crystal Palace), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Víctor Muñoz (Osasuna), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona)
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Esta es la lista de todo un país.
ESTA ES LA LISTA DE ESPAÑA.
👥 Estos son los internacionales que representarán a la @SEFutbol y todas nuestras ilusiones en la próxima#CopaMundialFIFA.#VamosEspaña pic.twitter.com/pZAFzRUg1b
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) May 25, 2026
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