FILE – Spain’s Lamine Yamal attempts a shot on goal during a World Cup qualifying round Group E soccer match between Turkey and Spain at Konya Buyuksehir stadium, in Konya, Turkey, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.
Khalil Hamra/AP Photo/Khalil Hamra
FILE -Spain’s Nico Williams eyes the ball prior the start of the Nations League final soccer match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, June 8, 2025.
Matthias Schrader/AP
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s World Cup squad does not include Real Madrid players for the first time though injured forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams were picked on Monday.
Yamal and Williams suffered leg muscle injuries in the past month. However, coach Luis de la Fuente expects them to be fit for the start of soccer’s showcase.
“We are not going to speed up any process, we are in coordination with the clubs,” De la Fuente said. “The 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.”
Article continues below this ad
Spain opens its Group H campaign against Cape Verde 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 Spain’s squad but he was left out.
San Francisco Chronicle Logo
Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.
Add Preferred Source
“I don’t 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.”
Madrid endured a second consecutive season without a major title while La Liga champion Barcelona has produced eight players in Spain’s squad.
Article continues below this ad
Madrid will have players at the World Cup for other nations, including France’s Kylian Mbappé, Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior and England’s Jude Bellingham.
Barcelona midfielder Fermín López, who broke his right foot this month, was sidelined for Spain as expected.
Midfielder Mikel Merino, who played only once for Arsenal since injuring his foot in January, was back in the squad. Also included despite a recent injury was Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabián Ruiz.
Spain’s 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 elimination by Morocco at the 2022 World Cup by winning Euro 2024 in Germany. La Roja also won the 2023 Nations League and was runner-up to Portugal in the 2025 edition.
Article continues below this ad
Spain hasn’t gone past the last 16 in the World Cup since its lone title in 2010.
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona)
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Eric García (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid)
Article continues below this ad
Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Gavi (Barcelona), Álex Baena (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Yéremi Pino (Crystal Palace), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Víctor Muñoz (Osasuna), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona)
___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup