MADRID (AP) 鈥� Injured forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams were included Monday in Spain’s squad but, for the first time, La Roja won’t be traveling with any Real Madrid players.
and sustained muscle injuries late in the season. Coach Luis de la Fuente, though, expects them to be fit for the start of soccer’s showcase event.
鈥淲e are not going to speed up any process, we are in coordination with the clubs,鈥� De la Fuente said. 鈥淭he information we have is that they will all be ready for the first or the second match. You always want to be careful, but if there’s a time when the players may want to take risks, it’s at the World Cup.鈥�
Spain opens its campaign against Cape Verde in Group H on June 15 in Atlanta. It then faces Saudi Arabia on June 21 in Atlanta and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Defender Dean Huijsen was among the Madrid players contending for a place in Spain’s squad but he was left out.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 look at the clubs, these are national team players,” De la Fuente said. “The only thing I want is for them to be proud of representing the national team. I don’t look at it like maybe the fans may look at it.鈥�
Eight players are from Madrid rival Barcelona, the Spanish league champion for two years in a row. Madrid, meanwhile, endured its second consecutive season without a major title.
Madrid will have players at the World Cup featuring for other nations, including France’s Kylian Mbapp茅, Brazil’s Vin铆cius J煤nior and England’s Jude Bellingham.
Barcelona , who sustained a fracture on his right foot this month, is sidelined for Spain as expected.
Midfielder Mikel Merino, who played only once for Arsenal since injuring his foot in January, is back in the squad. Also included despite a recent injury is Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabi谩n Ruiz.
Spain鈥檚 preparations will begin on Saturday. It plays warmup matches against Iraq on June 4 and Peru on June 9.
It rebounded from a round-of-16 at the 2022 World Cup by in Germany. La Roja also and was in the 2025 edition.
Spain hasn鈥檛 gone further than the last 16 in the World Cup since its lone title triumph in 2010.
___
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Unai Sim贸n (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garc铆a (Barcelona)
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubars铆 (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Eric Garc铆a (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Mart铆n Zubimendi (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Fabi谩n Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Gavi (Barcelona), 脕lex Baena (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Y茅remi Pino (Crystal Palace), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), V铆ctor Mu帽oz (Osasuna), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona)
___ AP soccer:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
