Spain ready for the title again after 16 years - without any Real players

For the bookmakers, Spain are the top favorites at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and there are good reasons for this. Since March 2023, national coach Luis de la Fuente's team have gone 31 competitive matches unbeaten in the regular season. The only defeat in this period was the penalty shoot-out loss to Portugal in the Nations League final.

Not even the golden generation, which won two European Championships and a World Cup between 2008 and 2012, could boast such a streak. The Iberians have been number 1 in the FIFA world rankings since 2025. As one of the seeded teams, they will avoid the big co-favorites until the semi-finals if things go according to plan.

Finesse and depth

The team impresses with technical finesse as well as exceptional quality and depth in midfield. Under De la Fuente, who has accompanied many of the current top performers since their youth, they play more directly and boldly than under his predecessor Luis Enrique, whose sometimes sterile possession football sparked a fundamental debate - "modern tiki-taka" they call it in Spain.

Spain also made the best impression of the top European teams in the World Cup qualifiers. It was only in the last game, a 2:2 draw against Turkey, that they conceded their first goals and drew their only game. In the first duel, Spain had outclassed the Turks 6:0, and De La Fuente says: "That 6:0 victory in Turkey was almost perfection."

He is proud to coach this exceptional group, says De la Fuente. "They have surpassed the record of an unforgettable generation of players in Spanish football. But they want more, always more. That is the special spirit of this team."

No Real players, no dissonance

Unsurprisingly, there is currently no dissonance in the Spanish squad. De la Fuentes' World Cup squad only caused a stir because not a single Real Madrid player is in the team. A novelty in Spanish World Cup history. But one that was on the cards.

Luis Enrique had already dispensed with Real Madrid players at the 2021 European Championship. Real's current heavyweights will line up for the national teams of France (Mbappé, Tchouaméni), Brazil (Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo), England (Bellingham), Uruguay (Valverde) and Turkey (Güler) at the World Cup.

The highly experienced Dani Carvajal and young central defender Dean Huijsen, who played for the Netherlands' youth teams until 2023, were unable to force their way into selection during Real's chaotic 2025/26 season. "I'm a national team coach, I don't look at one club or another," explained De la Fuente, who was able to draw from an immense pool of players.

Yamal, Rodri, Pedri

The big star is Barcelona's dribbling artist Lamine Yamal, who missed the season finale with his club due to a thigh injury, but should be fit again for the World Cup opener against Cape Verde on June 15. Yamal is one of eight FC Barcelona players, director Pedri a second. The great stabilizer in defensive midfield is Manchester City's Rodri, the 2024 World Player of the Year. In goal, De la Fuente is spoilt for choice between Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon, probably the favourite to win the European Championship in 2024, Arsenal's David Raya and Barcelona's Joan Garcia.

The skeleton of the World Cup team is the same as at the successful Euro 2024, with the addition of important youngsters such as Pau Cubarsi. What is missing is a top-class center forward - a supposed deficiency that has not been a problem in recent months and years. Spain won their fourth European Championship title in 2024 with a similar line-up. Will the second World Cup title follow in summer 2026?