De la Fuente names Spain World Cup squad with 8 Barcelona stars
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has named his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, featuring eight Barcelona players including teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, alongside Gavi and Pedri. The squad breaks down as 3 goalkeepers (Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia), 8 defenders (Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Pubill, Eric Garcia, Marcos Llorente, Pedro Porro), 7 midfielders (Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, Gavi, Rodri, Alex Baena, Mike Merino), and 8 forwards (Mikel Oyarzabal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, Ferran Torres, Borja Iglesias, Victor Munoz and Lamine Yamal).
Spain will play friendlies against Iraq and Peru before the World Cup begins. They are drawn in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Barcelona's significant representation suggests the club's academy and senior players continue to form the backbone of the national team. With eight Barcelona players, Spain has one of the most club-heavy squads in the tournament, which could impact tactical approach and team chemistry.
Will Spain's Barcelona-heavy squad give them an advantage in midfield and attack, or might the lack of diversity in club representation create challenges when facing teams with more varied experience?