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Spain Names 26-Man Squad, Yamal Plays Injured

5/25/2026

Summary

Yamal Included

Spain announced its 26-man 2026 World Cup squad, naming forward Lamine Yamal despite a torn left hamstring from April 22.
Coach Luis de la Fuente said forward Lamine Yamal, winger Nico Williams and midfielder Mikel Merino are fit, and no Real Madrid player made the list.
The roster features eight Barcelona players, three Premier League players and will face Cape Verde on June 15 after friendlies with Iraq (June 4) and Peru (June 8).

Summary

De la Fuente Picks

Luis de la Fuente, last club post at Alavés in 2011, now heads Spain’s senior team.
He led Spain’s youth squads to the Euro 2024 championship.
De la Fuente says he will select players without regard to club affiliation.
Spain entered the World Cup ranked No 1 in the April 2026 FIFA men’s rankings.
FIFA allows replacing a listed player only for serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before the first match.

Summary

De la Fuente Announces

Spain will start World Cup preparations on 30 May at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas.
Defender Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), with 23 caps since 2021, joins the 26-man squad alongside centre-back Aymeric Laporte of Saudi club Al-Nassr, the only Spain international playing outside Europe.
Coach Luis de la Fuente kept the Euro 2024 core while adding newcomers Marc Pubill and Alex Baena, producing a roster drawn from clubs in Spain, England, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia.

History

Historical Context

Spain’s 1998 World Cup squad, limited to 22 players and featuring a record 13 Barcelona members, competed in the France-hosted tournament. Remembering that experience, the 2026 selection keeps the 2022 core while adding Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Al-Nassr’s Aymeric Laporte, aiming to improve Spain’s performance after the 1998 disappointment and to strengthen the national side.

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Yamal Included

Spain announced its 26-man 2026 World Cup squad, naming forward Lamine Yamal despite a torn left hamstring from April 22.
Coach Luis de la Fuente said forward Lamine Yamal, winger Nico Williams and midfielder Mikel Merino are fit, and no Real Madrid player made the list.
The roster features eight Barcelona players, three Premier League players and will face Cape Verde on June 15 after friendlies with Iraq (June 4) and Peru (June 8).

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