Spain leave out Real Madrid players as Barcelona dominate World Cup squad
Spain supporters hold up flags during the international friendly football match between Spain and Egypt at RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat, near Barcelona, on March 31, 2026. Police in Spain said on Wednesday that they were investigating "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona. Egypt's national anthem was jeered ahead of the 0-0 draw in Barcelona on Tuesday in a pre-World Cup friendly and authorities at the RCDE Stadium appealed to fans more than once over the public announcement system to refrain from making offensive comments.
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European champions Spain will travel to next month's World
Cup with plenty of Barcelona swagger but no-one from Real Madrid after manager
Luis de la Fuente named a 26-man squad on Monday built around eight players
from the Catalan club.
It is the first time that Spain will go to a World Cup
without a Real Madrid player in their squad, a striking absence for the
15-times Champions League winners as De la Fuente prepares to lead one of the
tournament favourites.
Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the
Real Madrid names to miss out, leaving Barcelona to provide the spine of a team chasing Spain's
second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa.
De la Fuente played down the absence of the club's players,
preferring to highlight those who are in the squad.
"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," De la Fuente told
reporters.
Barcelona's contingent includes Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi,
Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while
seven players called up are based in the Premier League.
"Excitement is the key word. Passion," De la
Fuente said.
"The reaction of people all over Spain - adults and children alike -
is that they are fully behind the national team. It is an honour for me to
represent the national team."
Arsenal provide three of Spain's Premier League-based
players in goalkeeper David Raya and midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Mikel
Merino, while Manchester City's Rodri gives De la Fuente a commanding presence
in midfield.
The coach also addressed the injury concern regarding Yamal
and Nico Williams, who will arrive at the tournament nursing hamstring issues.
"We're very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we'll have
everyone available from the very first match. We're in close contact with the
clubs' medical teams," he said.
"We'll call on them when we deem it appropriate. 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 will arrive at the World Cup carrying the confidence
of their European Championship triumph in Germany two years ago, but with the
weight of expectation from a passionate fanbase.
Goalkeepers: Unai
Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)
Defenders: Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcos Llorente
(Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid),
Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Alex Grimaldo
(Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)
Midfielders:
Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Gavi (Barcelona), Pedri
(Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (Paris St Germain), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Alex Baena
(Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Dani
Olmo (Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Yeremy
Pino (Crystal Palace), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Victor Munoz (Osasuna),
Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Borja Iglesias (Celta)
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