Barcelona 8-0 Real Madrid
For the first time, no Real Madrid player is on Spain’s World Cup squad. Today, Barcelona achieved its second-best tally ever: eight players.
Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad gave us a new record: not a single Real Madrid player has been included. There were only two in Qatar. Just one went to Brazil in 1950. There have been lean years before. But zero? That had never happened. Not since 1930.
What makes Luis de la Fuente’s squad even more striking is the contrast it presents. It is also Barcelona’s second-best representation ever at a World Cup. Eight Barcelona players have been selected, a figure surpassed only once, 32 years ago, when nine made the squad for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Back then, it was a record for the club. Today, the opposite has happened. Not a single player from Real Madrid. A rout for La Roja.
There were seven possible candidates from Valdebebas, though not all carried the same weight. Carvajal, Asencio, Carreras, and Ceballos were never really in contention, mainly because they were left out of the preliminary list of 55 players from which the final squad would be chosen. It was already clear that De la Fuente would not announce their names today. But three remained: Huijsen, Fran García, and Gonzalo.
Historical overview
| World Cup | Barcelona players | Real Madrid players |
|---|---|---|
| USA, Mexico and Canada 2026 | 8 | 0 |
| Qatar 2022 | 7 | 2 |
| Russia 2018 | 4 | 6 |
| Brazil 2014 | 7 | 3 |
| South Africa 2010 | 7 | 5 |
| Germany 2006 | 3 | 4 |
| South Korea & Japan 2002 | 3 | 5 |
| France 1998 | 8 | 5 |
| USA 1994 | 9 | 3 |
| Italy 1990 | 4 | 6 |
| Mexico 1986 | 5 | 7 |
| Spain 1982 | 4 | 5 |
| Argentina 1978 | 5 | 5 |
| Germany 1974 | Didn’t quality | Didn’t quality |
| Mexico 1970 | Didn’t quality | Didn’t quality |
| England 1966 | 4 | 6 |
| Chile 1962 | 7 | 7 |
| Sweden 1958 | Didn’t quality | Didn’t quality |
| Switzerland 1954 | Didn’t quality | Didn’t quality |
| Brazil 1950 | 5 | 1 |
| France 1938 | Didn’t participate due to the Civil War | Didn’t participate due to the Civil War |
| Italy 1934 | 3 | 5 |
| Uruguay 1930 | Did not participate | Did not participate |
Most attention centred on Dean Huijsen, De la Fuente’s preferred option since the Nations League. The most expensive defender in Real Madrid’s history ($60 million), and a player who, since his arrival in March 2015, had never been left out for technical reasons. Until now.
For days, it had become increasingly clear in Las Rozas that his place was hanging by a thread. Cubarsí, Laporte, and Pubill were considered certain selections, leaving only one spot available amid fierce competition. Huijsen, Jon Martín, Le Normand, Mosquera, and Eric Garcia were all fighting for that final place. In the end, it went to Eric Garcia.
The news is now official: Huijsen will not be at the World Cup. And without him, there will be no Real Madrid players in Spain’s squad.
On the other side stand Barcelona’s eight representatives: Joan Garcia, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia, Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres. The club’s second-best tally in the history of Spain’s World Cup squads, contrasted with Real Madrid’s worst ever.
That is the headline. Historically, Real Madrid have usually dominated this particular Clásico. Across the 17 World Cups since 1930, Madrid have had more players in Spain’s squad on eight occasions, Barcelona on seven, while two editions ended level.
Until now, Real Madrid’s lowest contribution had come at Brazil 1950, when only Molowny made the squad. Their next-worst record came in Qatar 2022, when only Carvajal and Asensio were selected. Barcelona, by comparison, have always contributed at least three players.
In fact, a closer look reveals another striking detail: Barcelona have provided 93 players to Spain’s World Cup squads throughout history, while Real Madrid have contributed 75. That may seem surprising given Madrid’s slight edge in overall squad victories, but the explanation is simple. When Real Madrid have come out ahead, the margins have usually been narrow. Barcelona’s victories, by contrast, have often been emphatic, gradually widening the overall gap.
De la Fuente’s squad for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, to be held from 11 June to 19 July, has now been confirmed. The 26 selected players are: Unai Simón, David Raya, and Joan Garcia (goalkeepers); Marcos Llorente and Pedro Porro (right-backs); Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Pubill, and Eric Garcia (centre-backs); Marc Cucurella and Grimaldo (left-backs); Rodrigo Hernández and Martín Zubimendi (defensive midfielders); Pedri, Fabián Ruíz, Dani Olmo, Álex Baena, Mikel Merino, and Gavi (midfielders); Lamine Yamal and Yéremy Pino (right wingers); Mikel Oyarzabal, Borja Iglesias, and Ferran Torres (forwards); Nico Williams and Víctor Muñoz (left wingers).
𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗦.
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) May 25, 2026
Son nuestros 26.#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/WvpEPRXD9z
De la Fuente has also named a nine-player support group, which includes one Real Madrid player: Gonzalo. Huijsen is not among them. The rest are Leo Román (Mallorca), Jon Martín (Real Sociedad), Javi Rodríguez (Celta), Sergio Gómez (Real Sociedad), Bernal (Barcelona), Turrientes (Real Sociedad), Javi Guerra (Valencia), and Jesús Rodríguez (Como).
It is the outcome of a Monday that will go down in the history of Spain’s World Cup squad selections. For the first time since 1930, not a single Real Madrid player has been chosen. There was once only one, but never before had there been none. Until today.
A squad that also delivers Barcelona’s second-best World Cup representation ever: eight players. That is the conclusion revealed by the numbers. The summary of a rout already written into history. Barcelona 8 - Real Madrid 0.
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