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Barcelona's Lamine Yamal will head to the FIFA World Cup despite recently picking up an injury -Credit:Ernest Kolodziej/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Spain’s search for a second FIFA World Cup win will see them compete in North America without a single Real Madrid star amongst its midst, with arch-rivals Barcelona the most heavily represented side.
Amongst those to have made Luis de la Fuente’s final 26-player roster is Barca’s Lamine Yamal, despite the 18-year-old currently being sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The young superstar picked up the injury in a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga whilst taking the game-winning penalty at the end of the first half.
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Luis de la Fuente opted against including any Real Madrid players in his World Cup team -Credit
ennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty ImagesAnd Yamal isn’t the only injury risk included in the team, with Atletico Club’s Nico Williams and Arsenal’s Mikel Merino also listed, despite the former having missed much of this season with various injuries, whilst the latter only just returned after having to undergo foot surgery.
One player whose injury was too much to overcome in time for the tournament was Barcelona’s Fermín López, after he recently broke his foot.
As for Real’s Spanish stars, their rollercoaster season under both Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa, which saw them finish second in La Liga, with Barcelona winning the title following a recent 2-0 El Clásico win at Camp Nou, ends without any of them reaching the World Cup.
Up-and-coming defenders Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras, and Raúl Asencio, as well as injury-prone veteran Dani Carvajal, were all left out by de la Fuente.
De la Fuente admitted, via ESPN, that it was “difficult” to leave players out, adding, “We think about every possible scenario that can happen in games with our opponents, and their characteristics…
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“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.”
Regarding Yamal, Williams, and Merino, he was relaxed, stating that he was confident all three players would be available for selection for their World Cup opener on June 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, when they take on Group H rivals, Cape Verde. This will be followed by games against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
“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.”
However, the final 26-player roster aren’t the only players who have been called up by de la Fuente, with a further nine picked to accompany the team for their first of two pre-tournament friendlies.
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Dean Huijsen is among the Los Blancos stars left out by de la Fuente -Credit:Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images
The game against Iraq will see Marc Bernal (Barcelona), Javi Rodríguez (Celta), Jesús Rodríguez (Como), Leo Román (Mallorca), Gonzalo García (Real), Sergio Gómez, Jon Martín, and Beñat Turrientes of Real Sociedad de Fútbol, and Javi Guerra (Valencia) all available for selection to fill in for those playing in the UEFA Champions League and Conference League finals.
Full World Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Club), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona)
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club), Álejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Pau Cubarsí and Eric García of Barcelona, and Marcos Llorente and Marc Pubill of Atlético Madrid
Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), Álex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Gavi and Pedri of Barcelona, and Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino of Arsenal
Forwards: Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Yéremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Víctor Muñoz (Osasuna), Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Ferran Torres of Barcelona
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