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Luis de la Fuente announced this Monday the list of 26 players called up for Spain for the 2026 World Cup with a historic fact that dominates the debate: eight players from FC Barcelona and none from Real Madrid, the first time this has happened in Spain's 17 participations in a World Cup.
The eight players called up from the azulgrana team are Joan García, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres, making the 2025-26 La Liga champion the club with the highest representation in the national team.
The absence of Madrid has a proper name: Dani Carvajal, the first captain of Euro 2024, suffered two serious injuries during the season—one to his knee in October 2025 and a toe fracture in May 2026—that prevented him from performing at the required level. Álvaro Morata, the second captain of that Euro, was also not called up.
"Dani Carvajal and Álvaro Morata have been very important, and I hope they will come back in the future. They have left a great legacy of leadership, but the generation that remains is perfectly capable. I am very grateful to them," said De la Fuente at a press conference in Madrid.
Dean Huijsen, the only Real Madrid option being considered beforehand, was also ruled out.
The only connection to Madrid on the entire list is Gonzalo García, included only among the nine "support" players who will accompany the team until the first friendly match on June 4 against Iraq in A Coruña, without being part of the final 26.
Without Carvajal or Morata, Spain's new captains will be Rodrigo Hernández, Unai Simón, and Ferran Torres, based on the highest number of international appearances.
The call-up also includes three injured players: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz. De la Fuente is hopeful to have them available "for the first or second match."
Two absolute newcomers on the list are goalkeeper Joan García and defender Marc Pubill, who has excelled this season as a center-back for Atlético de Madrid despite originally training as a right-back.
"Pubill brings a lot to the table. He has versatility and adaptability as both a full-back and a center-back, which is very important in a tournament with closely scheduled matches," the coach emphasized.
Spain, placed in Group H of the 2026 World Cup alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay, will begin its training camp on Saturday, May 30, at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas. Before the tournament, it will play two friendly matches: on June 4 against Iraq at the Riazor stadium and on June 9 against Peru in Puebla, Mexico.
The debut in the World Cup will be on June 15 against Cape Verde at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, followed by matches on June 21 against Saudi Arabia and on June 27 against Uruguay.
De la Fuente did not hide his ambitions regarding the tournament that will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada: "Are we among the favorites? Yes. Are we capable of winning the World Cup? Yes. But that does not guarantee anything. There are teams at our level or different. France, England, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal... they are just as much contenders as we are. We are excited to compete for the highest honors. But in football, even when you are superior, you can lose."
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