Spain named injured forward Lamine Yamal to a 26-man World Cup roster that for the first time will feature zero players from Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old Yamal tore his left hamstring in an April 22 game for FC Barcelona and missed the rest of the club’s La Liga campaign.
Previous reports said Yamal could miss Spain’s World Cup opener but coach Luis de la Fuente said he had “no doubt” about the availability of the young star and others who are dealing with fitness concerns.
“We’re very calm,” de la Fuente said. “I think that if there are no setbacks, we can almost have everyone available from the first game. The doctor and fitness coach have been visiting the clubs and talking to them. We’ve been coordinating. … I have no doubt they’ll be ready for the first game, and if not, they’ll be ready for the second.”
On Monday, de la Fuente announced his roster during an event in Madrid, notably leaving out Real Madrid defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal and striker Gonzalo Garcia. Also absent are injured Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez as well as Como forward Alvaro Morata, 33, who captained the winning side to the 2024 European title.
“It’s difficult,” de la Fuente said of leaving players out. “We think about every possible scenario that can happen in games with our opponents, and their characteristics. … We’ve chosen these 26. I think we’ve covered the needs of the team. … I don’t look at whether they play for one team or another.”
No. 2 in the FIFA world rankings behind France, Spain is in Group H with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Spain opens against Cape Verde on June 15 in Atlanta before playing Saudi Arabia on June 21, also in Atlanta, and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The 2010 World Cup champions will warm up for the competition with friendlies against Iraq on Thursday in La Coruna, Spain, and against Peru on June 8 in Puebla, Mexico.
SPAIN WORLD CUP ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia
Defenders: Marc Cucurella, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Alejandro Grimaldo, Pedro Porro, Eric Garcia, Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill
Midfielders: Gavi, Rodri, Pedri, Martin Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena, Mikel Merino
Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyarzabal, Yeremy Pino, Borja Iglesias, Victor Munoz
–Field Level Media
