Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has indicated that only four to six positions in his World Cup squad are still uncertain, while also recognizing that injuries could influence his final selections. As La Roja prepares for their last friendly match before de la Fuente reveals his 26-player roster for the trip to the United States, they are coming off a solid 3-0 victory over Serbia.
After beating Serbia 3-0 on Friday, Spain is set to compete against Egypt at the RCDE Stadium on Tuesday night. De la Fuente confirmed to Marca that he plans to rotate his squad for this match.
“We’re going to refresh the team, but we’ll field a competitive squad because we want to continue winning. Those who need to play will have the opportunity. We aim to maintain a high level of competitiveness.”
La Roja has emerged as one of the tournament favorites this summer, alongside heavyweights like France, England, and Argentina.
“I appreciate the positive comments about us. It would be foolish to deny that we are among the contenders. Just as I comment on other teams, take a look at France. Anyone who doubts their status as favorites is mistaken… We need to perform exceptionally well; a near-perfect performance is required to clinch the World Cup.”
Goalkeeper Controversy
One of the most debated topics surrounding his squad is the choice of goalkeeper. Unai Simon appears to be the number one choice, but it raised eyebrows when de la Fuente called up four goalkeepers for the current international break, including Barcelona’s Joan Garcia making his debut call-up. The decision regarding the starter against Egypt has already been made.
“We’ve decided on the starting goalkeeper, but the match dynamics might change things. You’ll find out who it is tomorrow; I’m not going to share any further details now. We need to present a very competitive team to give us complete confidence. It remains to be seen who will start and who will finish.”
Garcia’s move from Espanyol has made him a controversial figure among some fans. When asked if he might face boos from Espanyol supporters, de la Fuente responded: “If anyone has that inclination, better to leave it at home. Let them come and support the national team players.”
Majority of the Squad Decided
De la Fuente also mentioned that he has largely finalized his squad for the summer tournament.
“We have a solid group, a strong foundation. There will inevitably be some injuries and setbacks. Certain key players will miss out, but there are around 20 to 22 players we are keen to include.”
“We have a rough idea of the squad, though numbers may vary. The foundation is solid, and I hope many players will be fit. I stated 22 because it could have been a different figure.”
Injury Concerns
One player who was expected to feature but missed out is Eric Garcia, who sustained a late injury preventing his call-up.
“He has been a part of my youth squads and is well-regarded by both the Federation and myself. He was in great form only to suffer a minor injury that kept him out. This opens the door for others, and I hope we face tough choices for the final squad.”
Concerns also arise surrounding Nico Williams’s fitness ahead of the tournament after a challenging season due to injuries. Mikel Merino is also under pressure to recover in time.
“Nico has resumed training, which is encouraging, while Mikel Merino is dealing with a long-term injury… We’ll monitor their progress closely. I have faith in him as he’s incredibly determined, and I believe he will recover.”
Both Williams and Merino played vital roles for de la Fuente during Euro 2024. La Roja lacks direct replacements for either, although Alex Baena and Victor Munoz were tested on the left wing against Serbia. Merino’s natural alternative is Fabian Ruiz, who is also currently struggling with injury.