Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has suggested that there are maximum four to six spots in his World Cup squad up for grabs as things stand, albeit acknowledging that there will likely be injuries that impact his decisions. La Roja are on the eve of their final friendly before de la Fuente names his 26-man list for the plane to the United States.
After beating Serbia 3-0 on Friday, Spain will face Egypt at the RCDE Stadium on Tuesday night. De la Fuente confirmed to Marca that he would be rotating from that game.
“We’re going to refresh the team, but we’ll field a competitive squad because we want to keep winning. Those who need to play will play. We want to refresh the team so that it’s very competitive.”
La Roja are being cast as favourites for the tournament by many for this summer, alongside the likes of France, England and Argentina.
“I love it when people speak well of us. Denying the obvious… Just like I speak about others. I don’t know if you saw France. Anyone who doubts they’re the favorite… We have to play exceptionally well. We need a near-perfect performance to win the World Cup.”
Goalkeeper debate for Spain
One of the question marks over his squad that has raised the most eyebrows is the goalkeeping position. Unai Simon seems to be installed as number one, but it was a surprise when de la Fuente called up four goalkeepers for this international break, including Barcelona’s Joan Garcia for the first time. The decision on the starter against Egypt has been made.
“We’ve already made the decision, but we don’t know how the match will unfold. You’ll find out who the starting goalkeeper will be tomorrow; I’m not going to say anything more here. We’ll see how the match develops. We’re playing for first place in the world rankings. We need to field a very competitive team that gives us complete confidence. We’ll see what happens in goal: who starts and who finishes.”
After switching from crosstown rivals Espanyol, whose home stadium will host the game, Garcia is persona non grata in Cornella. De la Fuente was asked if some Pericos might be tempted to boo him.
“Let them leave that temptation at home, let them come and cheer. These players are from the Spanish national team. If anyone has that temptation, let them leave it at home.”
Majority of Spain squad decided
De la Fuente also explained that he had the majority of his squad settled in his mind for this summer.
“We have a solid group. A very strong foundation. There will certainly be setbacks and injuries. Some of the guaranteed starters will definitely be unavailable, but it’s true that there are 20 or 22 players we’d like to have.”
“We more or less have it figured out, but I made up the percentage… There’s a solid foundation and I hope many will be okay. I said 22, but I could have said another number.”
Injury absences
One of the players who was in the running to return to international duty was Eric Garcia, but he picked up a late injury that prevented him from being called up.
“He’s been with me in the youth ranks. He’s a player much loved by the Federation and by me. He was in great form and suffered a minor injury that perhaps prevented him from being here. Opportunities will open up for many. Hopefully, we’ll have a tough time making the squad.”
📸 Cyclist Jonas Vingegaard visiting the Spotify Camp Nou. [@FCBarcelona] 🇩🇰 pic.twitter.com/8HA46S1jb7
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There is also concern in Spain that Nico Williams might not be fit for the tournament, after an injury-ravaged season. Mikel Merino is also racing against time to be back.
“Nico has already rejoined training, which is a good sign. And Mikel Merino has a long-term injury… We’ll see how it all develops. I have a lot of faith in him, and he’s very eager. He’s made of different stuff, and I think he’s going to recover.”
Williams and Merino both played key roles for de la Fuente at Euro 2024. La Roja do not have a like for like replacement for either, but Alex Baena and Victor Munoz were both tested on the left wing against Serbia. Merino’s most natural alternative is Fabian Ruiz, but the Paris Saint-Germain star is also battling injury currently.
