Could Real Madrid’s Thiago Pitarch be in Spain’s 2026 World Cup roster?

I’m not saying they are going to call him up, or that I would take him right now. But that is different from saying Thiago Pitarch cannot be part of the national team during this international break, or that the man in charge has not sprung surprises with other dark horses before. Consider this a warning. What the Real Madrid academy product did at 18 against City, in the first leg and the second, at the most delicate point of the season, is not something just anyone can pull off. Betting on him in red with the same faith shown in white would not be reckless.

There are weighty arguments for him, with just seven games and 366 minutes at the elite level, to make a leap bigger than any of Duplantis’s. His physical power is a strong case for helping cover the absences of Mikel Merino and Fabián Ruiz, and for lending his lungs to others still working their way back to full speed, such as Rodrigo and Pedri. There is also one obvious fact in his favor: the Finalissima against the world champion, with Lionel Messi leading the way, has turned into the ideal exhibition game against Serbia in which to try new things. It is also worth remembering that the federation is in the middle of smoothing things over with the player’s camp so he forgets the siren song of Morocco, since his paternal grandfather was born in Al Hoceima, and builds his career with Spain. Hanging over all of it is the boldness of a coaching staff that has never been afraid to trust young players who come crashing through the door.

Lamine Yamal, in a similar case on the other side of the air bridge, was called up not long ago by Luis de la Fuente himself with 22 Champions League minutes to his name, a few more in La Liga, one assist at senior level and without going through the Under-21s. The fact that he had more suitors and the push from Albert Luque were decisive. Marc Casadó, to cite another player in the same position, was much the same: he arrived having played just one game for Spain’s youth sides. Pau Cubarsí did not need to prove himself over time either. Even Asencio, from a Madrid perspective, can testify that shining for a giant club is the best launchpad there is. There are more examples, in every color imaginable. Just ask Bryan Zaragoza, who surfaced one day, scored twice against Barcelona with Granada and suddenly found himself wearing the star.

De la Fuente has called up 84 players since replacing Luis Enrique after the disappointment in Qatar, 79 of whom played and five who did not. He has carried out that shuffle across 37 games, whether as the man fully in charge or as an interim coach during the pandemic. In that span, he has handed debuts to 46 internationals. In other words, every time he announces a squad, like the one this Friday, and every time he puts out a lineup, he gives us a couple of jolts and delivers the happiest day of another couple of families’ lives.

Thiago looks set to make his debut with the Under-21s, which is no bad thing and may well be the right step. But if he skips that rung soon, as could also happen with Bernal, nobody should start talking about favoritism, personal preferences or grudges because he is a Madrid player. Let nobody spitefully suggest it is because he shares an agency with the coach. And above all, let us not clutch our pearls. If anything, we should be picking up the phone, calling Álvaro Arbeloa and Hansi Flick, and congratulating them.

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