Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has officially announced his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and notably, no Real Madrid players have been included. The former Alaves coach revealed the final list on Monday, May 25, as La Roja prepare to pursue their second World Cup title in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Barcelona Stars Dominate Spain's World Cup Squad
Luis de la Fuente has included eight Barcelona players in Spain's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to NDTV, the squad features several young stars from Barcelona, including Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarsí, and Lamine Yamal. Rodri is expected to lead the midfield alongside Fabian Ruiz and Martín Zubimendi, while Nico Williams and Dani Olmo provide attacking quality. In goal, Spain selected Unai Simon, David Raya, and Joan García, while the defence includes Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo, and Aymeric Laporte.
Real Madrid Stars Miss Spain's World Cup Squad
Former Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal was once a key figure under De la Fuente and an important member of the national team setup. However, persistent injury problems and limited playing time this season meant the experienced right-back was not included in the preliminary 56-man squad. According to beIN Sports, several Madrid-linked players, including Dean Huijsen, Fran García, Alvaro Carreras, Raul Asencio, and Gonzalo García, were considered for selection but failed to make the final squad for the tournament. Huijsen's omission has been described as one of the biggest surprises, as the defender had previously been viewed as a potential starter for Spain. However, his inconsistent performances this season reportedly saw him lose his place to Barcelona defender Eric García.
Full Spain Squad for 2026 World Cup
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Marc Pubill (Atlético Madrid), Eric García (Barcelona), Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders: Pedri (Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (PSG), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Gavi (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Álex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Mikel Merino (Spain)
Forwards: Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Borja Iglesias (Celta de Vigo), Víctor Munoz (Osasuna), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Spain will kick off their campaign in the summer's showpiece tournament against Cape Verde on June 15 before taking on Saudi Arabia (June 21) and Uruguay (June 27) in Group H.
