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Spain names World Cup squad without any Real Madrid players for first time in history
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has announced the squad for the 2026 World Cup with no Real Madrid players selected for the first time in the country's football history. Eight Barcelona players make the squad instead. Spain will open their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has announced his squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America, making history by not selecting a single player from Real Madrid for the first time in the country's football history. The decision marks an unprecedented shift in the balance of power within Spanish football.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, de la Fuente has selected eight players from Barcelona, making the Catalan club the dominant force in the national team squad. The heavy Barcelona representation reflects the club's strong domestic and European form this season.
Spain will open their World Cup campaign on June 15 against Cape Verde in the group stage. La Roja enter the tournament as one of the favourites, having won Euro 2024 and maintained their status as one of the world's top footballing nations under de la Fuente's stewardship.
The absence of Real Madrid players is likely to generate significant debate in Spanish football circles. Real Madrid remains one of the most successful clubs in the world and has historically provided a core of players for the national team throughout major tournaments.
The selection suggests either that Real Madrid's Spanish players have not met the required form this season, or that a tactical shift in the national team's style now favours profiles more commonly found at Barcelona. Either way, the decision represents a historic rupture with decades of Spanish football tradition.