
'We have a difficult campaign ahead' - Fuente urges Spain squad to stay grounded, announces players for World Cup qualifiers
"Spain’s men’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, has urged his players to keep their attention on the qualifying campaign before looking ahead to next year’s FIFA World Cup, as he announced his squad for the upcoming qualifiers in Madrid on Friday. "First, the qualification. Let's focus on that. We're all thinking about the World Cup, the World Cup, the World Cup... that's all well and good, but we have a very tough, very difficult qualification campaign ahead of us," he said. The European champions welcome back Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Real Madrid full-back Dani Carvajal, both of whom missed this summer’s Nations League. "I think the most important news is that they are back with us, they are back enjoying football, their passion, and of course, contributing a lot. They are very important to us. They are our captains. We are talking about the best players in the world in their positions, and they give us, they contribute a lot to us," de la Fuente said. The coach also brushed aside criticism of 18-year-old Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, describing him as a 'magician' amid scrutiny of his recent goal celebrations. La Roja begin their World Cup qualifying campaign next week with away fixtures against Bulgaria and Turkey. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged across North America, with 48 nations competing. The final is scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey."