News Focus
- Luis de la Fuente excludes all Real Madrid players from Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad for the first time in the country’s history
- Striker Gonzalo García included in the “B list” standby group for pre-tournament training and friendlies
- Defender Dean Huijsen surprisingly left out of final squad despite regular international appearances over the past year
- Marc Pubill and Eric García selected ahead of Huijsen after strong seasons with Atlético Madrid and Barcelona
- García could leave Real Madrid this summer to secure regular first-team football elsewhere
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has named his squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America, and the team will contain no players from Real Madrid. This marks the first occasion that La Roja has travelled to the tournament without representation from the Bernabéu.
The final selection excludes defender Dean Huijsen, even though he has played regularly for the national team during the last 12 months. De la Fuente chose Marc Pubill from Atlético Madrid and Eric García of Barcelona instead. Both defenders enjoyed excellent domestic seasons and have earned their places in the travelling party.
However, one Real Madrid player will still join the group. Striker Gonzalo García has been placed on the “B list” for the two friendly matches before the competition starts in mid-June. This includes a fixture against Peru in Mexico.
The standby group also features Marc Bernal of Barcelona, Celta Vigo’s Javi Rodríguez, Jesús Rodríguez from Como, Leo Román at Mallorca, Sergio Gómez, Jon Martín, Benat Turrientes of Real Sociedad, and Javi Guerra from Valencia. These nine players will train with the senior squad. If injuries occur, they are ready to step up into the main team.
For García, this call-up shows significant progress. Just one year ago, few people knew his name, but he has now established himself at Real Madrid and caught the attention of the national team coaches. Even if he does not play in the World Cup itself, being part of the training group is a major achievement.
The summer could bring further changes for the young forward. Club officials may allow him to leave the Bernabéu to ensure his development continues. They do not want him to spend next season on the bench with limited playing time.