Spain's squad after the FIFA World Cup: De la Fuente opens the door for new faces

Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of the Spain national team, is preparing to announce his first squad after La Roja's triumph in the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place tomorrow, Friday.

The squad is expected to see a significant amount of continuity, with some changes due to Marcos Llorente's international retirement and Joan García's knee injury, which will keep him out for around three weeks.

Leo Román, Deportivo La Coruña's goalkeeper, appears to be the closest to replacing him in the squad alongside Unai Simón and David Raya, having previously joined the national team group before the FIFA World Cup and participated against Iraq.

In defense, Llorente's retirement has opened the door for new options at right-back, particularly with ongoing doubts about Pedro Porro's readiness. The names of Eric García and Marc Pubill stand out, given their ability to play as both center-backs and right-backs, alongside Dean Huysen, who has made a strong start to the season with Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Iván Fresneda has a great chance of joining the senior national team after impressing with Sporting CP and the Spain U21 team. Additionally, the name of Xavi Espasart, a versatile player from FC Barcelona, appears among the top candidates.

In midfield, the return of Fermín López seems to be one of the most anticipated, after injury kept him from participating in the FIFA World Cup despite being strongly considered by De La Fuente. Fermín had a strong start to the season, scoring four goals and providing two assists, which enhances his chances of returning to the national team.

In attack, Spain will continue to rely on Mikel Oyarzabal and Ferran Torres, with several names competing for the spot of Borja Iglesias, who is struggling with physical issues. Notably, Gonzalo, the Fulham striker who has scored two goals this season, and Carlos Espí, who has excelled with Real Madrid and scored two crucial goals in the closing minutes.

Roberto, the Espanyol forward, is competing strongly after scoring six goals in the first six rounds, alongside Sergio Camello of Rayo Vallecano. It is expected that the fates of Gonzalo, Espí, Fresneda, and Espartero will be determined between the senior team and the Under-21 team, while David Gordo will announce the Under-21 squad after De la Fuente's list, in preparation for matches against Finland, San Marino, and Romania in the qualifiers for the UEFA European Championship.