In an unprecedented turn of events, Spain is set to compete in the World Cup without a single player from Real Madrid in their squad. Manager Luis de la Fuente unveiled his 26-man roster on Monday, and remarkably, none of the eligible Real Madrid talents were selected.
In stark contrast, Barcelona players constitute nearly a third of “La Roja’s” squad. However, de la Fuente faced limited options from the Santiago Bernabéu. Players like Dani Ceballos, Raul Asencio, and Dani Carvajal have accumulated only one international cap combined in the last 18 months. Thiago Pitarch and Fran Garcia were not considered, and Gonzalo Garcia was the closest to a call-up, placed in a nine-player ‘support squad’ for the initial training camp and the final friendly against Peru in Mexico. However, the most notable omission was undoubtedly Dean Huijsen.
Huijsen’s Reaction to World Cup Squad Exclusion
Following the confirmation that Carvajal would not be returning to the national team, Huijsen appeared to be the most likely Real Madrid candidate for the squad, having earned seven caps over the past 18 months. Nevertheless, the impressive form of Marc Pubill and Eric Garcia secured them spots ahead of Huijsen, alongside established defenders Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi.
This decision has evidently not sat well with the Real Madrid player. The 21-year-old took to his Instagram story to share a screenshot of the Sofascore Team of the Season, which notably featured Cubarsi and Garcia.
De la Fuente’s Selection Rationale
Since the Euros 2024, de la Fuente has largely remained consistent with the players who achieved victory in Germany. However, the centre-back position has experienced considerable turnover, with even Euro 2024 final starter Robin Le Normand and Dani Vivian being left out. Nacho Fernandez has not been part of the Spain squad since.
While Garcia and Pubill have been standout performers for their respective clubs, Cubarsi has been a regular fixture for de la Fuente since the Euros. Laporte’s extensive experience is likely a key factor, whereas Huijsen struggled to maintain a consistent starting position in the latter half of the year. For his part, de la Fuente stated that the core of his squad had been decided for several months.
