Spain’s World Cup squad has been named, and for the first time in competition history it does not include a single Real Madrid player. Luis de la Fuente’s spain squad goes to the 2026 World Cup with a striking club split and several familiar names returning from injury.
De la Fuente's Spain squad
The omission of Real Madrid players is the sharpest detail in the selection. Spain has played in the World Cup for 92 years, and this summer’s tournament will be its 17th appearance, but never before has a squad gone to the competition without a Madrid player.
Dean Huijsen was left out, and the Spanish Football Federation later confirmed that omission. Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia were selected ahead of him at centre-back, while Marc Pubill and Aymeric Laporte also made the defensive group. Robin Le Normand missed out.
Lamine Yamal and Gavi
Lamine Yamal will go to his first World Cup, but he is expected to miss Spain’s opening match against Cape Verde because of a hamstring injury. He is also a doubt for the second group game, which adds an immediate fitness layer to a squad built around younger players and recent returnees.
Gavi is included after returning from seven months out with a knee injury. He started seven of Barcelona’s final eight games of the season, while Mikel Merino is selected after coming back in the final game of the season following four months out with a foot injury. Nico Williams is also in, despite missing the final three matches of Athletic Club’s season with a left hamstring injury.
Real Madrid and Spain
The break with Real Madrid stands out because Spain had three representatives from the club in its Euro 2024-winning squad: Dani Carvajal, Nacho and Joselu. Carvajal did not make the provisional World Cup squad after his past two seasons were disrupted by injury, and Nacho and Joselu both left the club after Euro 2024.
Spain’s group includes Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, so the squad now has to turn quickly from selection news to the tournament itself. Nico Williams’ six goals and three assists in 25 La Liga appearances underline the attacking options de la Fuente kept, even in an injury-hit campaign.
