After a strong showing in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, Spain have emerged as one of the favorite national teams to win the tournament. Not only do they possess a highly promising squad, but they also have a clear playing identity. With the anticipated tournament just around the corner, head coach Luis de la Fuente has announced the final 26-man roster, leaving out Real Madrid players for the first time in history.
Despite Dean Huijsen having been part of Luis de la Fuente’s process, his poor performances at Real Madrid and inconsistent displays with the national team left him out of the 2026 World Cup. Likewise, Dani Carvajal has been excluded from the 26-man roster, as Pedro Porro and Marcos Llorente have overtaken him in the pecking order. In addition, Raúl Asencio, Álvaro Carreras, Fran García, Dani Ceballos, and Gonzalo García have also been left out by Spain.
For the first time in World Cup history, Spain have left out Real Madrid players, reflecting an imminent shift in the sporting project. Unlike Barcelona, Los Blancos have leaned toward international stars such as Aurélien Tchouaméni, Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., Federico Valverde, and other foreign players. While Asencio, Carreras, and García usually receive playing time, they have failed to become as the best players in LaLiga in their respective positions.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente made his stance on not calling up Real Madrid players clear: “Fortunately, I am the national team manager. I do not look at where any player comes from… I only look at whether he has the possibility of playing with us. To me, they are players of the Spanish national team… I do not have the localist mentality that some fans may have,” he said at the latest press conference.
Aymeric Laporte of Spain celebrates scoring
Real Madrid move away from Spanish pillars in squad rebuild
Throughout history, Real Madrid have consistently focused on signing the best players in the world. Without a philosophy centered on developing players, they have instead turned to the transfer market to build the core of their project, featuring players such as Thibaut Courtois, Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, and Endrick.
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Los Blancos have not typically prioritized the development of domestic talent, with the signings of Dean Huijsen and Álvaro Carreras being the only exceptions. Nevertheless, neither of them are regular starters, being outperformed by teammates. While Barcelona seek to build a core of Spanish players, Real Madrid pursue signings of any nationality, a contrast reflected in their absence from the 2026 World Cup.
Spain’s full 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup
Unlike previous Spain call-ups, head coach Luis de la Fuente has made surprising decisions in different areas of the field. With the strong form of Joan García, Álex Remiro, usually the national team’s third goalkeeper, was left out despite being a key part of the process. Likewise, Dean Huijsen, Pablo Barrios, and Pablo Fornals have been excluded despite playing prominent roles in the qualifiers.
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Club Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal) and Joan García (FC Barcelona)
Defenders: Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club Bilbao), Pau Cubarsí (FC Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atlético Madrid), Eric García (FC Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) and Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen).
Midfielders: Rodrigo Hernández (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Pedri (FC Barcelona), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Pablo Gavi (FC Barcelona), and Alex Baena (Atlético Madrid).
Forwards: Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona), Ferran Torres (FC Barcelona), Borja Iglesias (Real Betis), Dani Olmo (FC Barcelona), Victor Muñoz (CD Osasuna), Nico Williams (Athletic Club Bilbao) and Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace).
