Connect with us
DAPA Banner
DAPA Coin
DAPA
COIN PAYMENT ASSET
PRIVACY · BLOCKDAG · HOMOMORPHIC ENCRYPTION · RUST
ElGamal Encrypted MINE DAPA
🚫 GENESIS SOLD OUT
DAPAPAY COMING

Sports

Yamal headlines Spain squad as Real Madrid stars miss World Cup cut

Published

on

Lamine Yamal is the star name in Spain‘s squad for the 2026 World Cup named by coach Luis de la Fuente on Monday, which also included Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino after his recent return from injury.

For the first time at a World Cup, the Spain squad will not feature a Real Madrid player with Dean Huijsen dropped and veteran Dani Carvajal also excluded after struggling through an injury-hit campaign.

Merino, a favourite of coach De la Fuente, appeared as a substitute for the Gunners against Crystal Palace on Sunday in their final Premier League match, for his first appearance since January after a foot fracture.

De La Fuente also called up defenders Eric Garcia and Marc Pubill after impressive seasons with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid respectively, deciding to leave out Huijsen and Atletico’s Robin Le Normand.

Advertisement

Along with 18-year-old Barca star Yamal, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams played a key role as Spain won Euro 2024 and he is in the squad despite a season badly disrupted by fitness issues.

Yamal is a doubt for the first matches of the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury with Barca which has kept him out since late April.

Read morePelé’s third, Baggio’s miss and the ‘Hand of God’: Iconic World Cups in Mexico and the US

The winger is one of eight Barca players in the squad, along with midfielders Gavi, Pedri and goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Advertisement

“We’re coordinating with the medical departments of all the clubs,” De la Fuente told reporters.

“The reports that we have say all the players will be ready for the first game or the second.”

Gavi returned from a long absence in March after a severe knee injury and has impressed with Barcelona in the final weeks of the season.

Yamal posted a video on social media of Gavi’s emotional reaction to the squad announcement, celebrating wildly during a gym session with Barca.

Advertisement

“That shows the human quality this group of players have… one of our strengths, and that’s just as important as what they do on the pitch,” said De la Fuente.

“I’m glad he got emotional, because we know how much this means to him.”

Watch moreMbappe, Dembele head up France squad for 2026 World Cup

Asked about not calling up any Real Madrid players for the tournament, De la Fuente said that had no impact on his decision making.

Advertisement

“Luckily I’m the national team coach and I don’t look at where the players come from,” explained the coach.

“They’re national team players… I don’t look at one club or another. I don’t have that local bias a fan might have, for me it’s more global…

“The only thing I want is for these footballers to feel proud of representing the national team.”

Spain open their World Cup campaign on June 15 against Cape Verde in Group H, before facing Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Advertisement

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal/ENG), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)

Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham/ENG), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea/ENG), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen/GER)

Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City/ENG), Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino (Arsenal/ENG), Pedri, Gavi (Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid)

Advertisement

Forwards: Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace/ENG), Victor Munoz (Osasuna), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo)

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

I hope Liverpool regret not getting him

Published

on

Chelsea legend John Terry has made a prediction about Xabi Alonso’s upcoming tenure as the Blues’ boss. The Englishman said that he hopes Liverpool, who were also in the race for the Spanish tactician’s signature, ‘regret not getting him’.

After an invincible Bundesliga campaign with Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023-24 campaign, Alonso became the talk of the town among top European sides. His former side Liverpool, for whom he made 210 appearances between 2004 and 2009, were interested, but ended up signing Arne Slot from Feyenoord.

Another one of Alonso’s former sides, Real Madrid, eventually hired him as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement in the summer of 2025. With 236 games for Los Blancos, the most he played for any club during his playing career, he was expected to settle in easily and continue Real’s dominance.

Advertisement

However, he endured a tough tenure at the Bernabeu, taking charge of just 34 games before parting ways with the club in January 2026. In May, Chelsea announced the signing of the Spaniard, bringing him in on a four-year contract starting in July.

During a virtual roundtable hosted by SuperSport, Terry responded to ESPN’s question about the Spaniard’s upcoming term at Stamford Bridge. The 45-year-old was confident that Alonso could put his allegiance with the Reds aside while in charge of the Blues.

He said (via ESPN):

“I don’t think he’ll struggle at all. I think he’ll come in the building on day one and have respect as a player and as a manager. To go on and do what he’s done in such a short career as a manager (has earned it for him)… I hope Liverpool regret not getting him, because that would mean Chelsea have then been successful.”

Despite entering the race to sign Alonso again last season, Liverpool did not make a move to sign the Spaniard. Just weeks after the Blues’ announcement, the Reds parted ways with Slot and named ex-Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as his replacement.

Advertisement

Liverpool beat four other clubs to sign Andoni Iraola, reason for Chelsea snub revealed – Reports

According to The Athletic (via This Is Anfield), Premier League giants Liverpool beat out four other clubs to sign Andoni Iraola from Bournemouth.

The Spanish tactician grabbed eyeballs around the footballing world with a stellar 2025-26 campaign with the Cherries. He led them to their best-ever Premier League finish (sixth) and their first-ever qualification to the Europa League.

On Thursday (June 4), five days after parting ways with Arne Slot, the Merseysiders announced the signing of Iraola on a two-year deal. The Athletic reports that they beat Chelsea, Crystal Palace, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen to his signature.

The report further revealed that the Blues decided against signing the Spaniard due to concerns with his style of play. They believed that it would be a ‘radical departure’ from the methods implemented by previous managers Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

Advertisement

Iraola’s first game in charge of Liverpool will be a pre-season friendly against fellow Premier League side Sunderland on July 25.