Spain has named a World Cup squad that includes two young forwards who have been sidelined by injury, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, with coach Luis de la Fuente confident they will be fully fit when the tournament begins.
The Spanish side opens its campaign on June 15 against Cape Verde in Atlanta, then meets Saudi Arabia on June 21 in the same city before traveling to Guadalajara to face Uruguay on June 26.
This tournament will mark the first World Cup in which no Real Madrid player makes the cut, a notable shift after years of heavy representation; defender Dean Huijsen also missed the final list, while Barcelona midfielder Fermín López was ruled out because of a fracture to his right foot.
Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, who had been limited to a single appearance for his club after a January foot injury, returns to the national team, and Paris Saint‑Germain’s Fabián Ruiz is included despite a recent setback.
A Fresh Look for La Roja
Coach de la Fuente emphasizes that the blend of youthful talent and experienced options aims to break the nation's pattern of exiting at the last 16, a stage they have not passed since their 2010 championship.
Preparations will kick off with warm‑up matches against Iraq on June 4 and Peru on June 9, giving the squad a chance to fine‑tune before the group stage. Spain’s recent pedigree includes a Euro 2024 triumph and a 2023 Nations League title, though their last World Cup run ended in a round‑of‑16 exit to Morocco in 2022.