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Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has named his final 26-membetr roster for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal made the cut despite injury concerns while there was no place for any Real Madrid footballer.
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal has been named in Spain's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad. (AP)For the first time ever in history, the Spain football team at the FIFA World Cup will have no representation from Real Madrid as head coach Luis de la Fuente announced his 26-member side for the games biggest spectacle starting next month in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Real Madrid centre-back Dean Huijsen was the biggest surprise omission from the Spain squad, who was once considered to be a potential starter for De la Fuente. It is believed Huijsen's inconsistent season with the La Liga giants saw him lose his spot to Barcelona defender Eric García.
Meanwhile, veteran Dani Carvajal's struggles through an injury-hit campaign with Real Madrid might be the reason for his exclusion. However, Barcelona's Lamine Yamal headlined Spain's squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 despite having injury concerns.
The 18-year-old Yamal is a doubt for the first few matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after suffering a hamstring injury with Barcelona which has kept him out since late April. De la Fuente's squad also includes Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino after his recent return from injury.
Merino, a favourite of coach De la Fuente, appeared as a substitute for the Gunners against Crystal Palace on Sunday in their final Premier League match, for his first appearance since January after a foot fracture.
De La Fuente also called up defenders Garcia and Marc Pubill after impressive seasons with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid respectively. Atletico's Robin Le Normand was also left out.
Along with Yamal, Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams played a key role as Spain won Euro 2024 and has been named in the squad despite a season badly disrupted by fitness issues. Spain will be without midfielder Fermin Lopez, who underwent surgery last week after fracturing his foot.
Spain squad for FIFA World Cup 2026
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia
Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo
Midfielders: Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena
Forwards: Yeremy Pino, Víctor Muñoz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Borja Iglesias
Spain's FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule
One of the favourites to win the FIFA World Cup, Spain will play two friendlies against Iraq and Mexico as warm-up games. The 2010 champions will start their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta in Group H. They will then take on Saudi Arabia six days later before wrapping up the group stage against Uruguay.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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