Spain Prepares for World Cup Qualifiers with New Squad Selection

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has officially unveiled his squad for the crucial upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. The announcement, which has generated significant interest among football enthusiasts, indicated the inclusion of seven players from Barcelona. The national team is set to kick off its qualifying campaign with two challenging matches: first against Bulgaria on September 4th, followed by a clash with Turkey on September 7th.

While the initial news highlighted a strong Barcelona presence, the specific names of these seven players were not detailed in the positional breakdowns for "Notable inclusions from Barcelona," which explicitly stated "None from Barcelona" for goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. This leaves the exact composition of the Barcelona contingent unconfirmed within the provided specific player lists.

The squad announcement did, however, shed light on some notable omissions. From Barcelona, goalkeeper Joan Garcia and defender Alejandro Balde were not called up. Balde, who has been absent from the national team picture for an extended period, faces growing uncertainty regarding his World Cup prospects. Garcia, on the other hand, is still considered to be in a developmental phase and will need significant progress to challenge the established goalkeeping options, especially given coach De la Fuente's reported tendency to favor loyal players within his squad.

Full Squad Details Across Positions

Beyond the Barcelona players, the broader squad features a blend of seasoned veterans and promising talents from various top European clubs.

Goalkeepers:

• Unai Simón (Athletic)
• David Raya (Arsenal)
• Álex Remiro (Real Sociedad)

Defenders:

• Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
• Pedro Porro (Tottenham)
• Robin Le Normand (Atlético Madrid)
• Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid)
• Dani Vivian (Athletic)
• Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)
• Álex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders:

• Rodri (Man City)
• Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal)
• Fabián Ruiz (PSG)
• Mikel Merino (Arsenal)

Forwards:

• Álvaro Morata (Como)
• Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)
• Nico Williams (Athletic)
• Yeremy Pino (Villarreal)

The selected squad will be looking to make a strong statement in their opening World Cup qualifying matches, aiming to secure vital points towards their campaign.