Spain’s World Cup shock: Huijsen and Real Madrid snubbed in De la Fuente’s 26‑man roster
The Amsterdam-born center-back is paying the price for a disappointing season. For the first time in history, no Real Madrid player made the list.
Three major absences jumped off Spain’s final 26‑player World Cup list — and each one tells a story about form, timing, and a season full of setbacks.
Le Normand, Remiro, and Huijsen — three heavyweights left out
Robin Le Normand, a Euro 2024 champion and one of Spain’s standout performers in that tournament, was dropped at the last minute after a season in which he never fully cemented himself as a guaranteed starter at Atlético Madrid. His omission is one of the biggest surprises of the entire roster announcement.
Another established name missing is Álex Remiro. Despite years of consistency, he couldn’t hold off the rise of Joan García, Barcelona’s breakout goalkeeper who finished the season with the fewest goals conceded in the league. García’s first year at Barça has been nothing short of spectacular.
And then there’s Dean Huijsen. His exclusion carries almost historic weight: for the first time ever, Spain is heading to a World Cup without a single Real Madrid player. Huijsen had made a huge impact when he debuted last year in the Nations League quarterfinals — ironically against the Netherlands — and seemed locked in as a long‑term starter. But as his performances dipped at Real Madrid, Eric García and Sergi Pubill surged ahead of him.
Huijsen even admitted back in early January — after a Champions League match against Monaco — that he had played through injury, a decision that may have contributed to his decline.
A reflection of Real Madrid’s rough season
Spain’s Madrid‑free roster isn’t just a trivia note; it’s a snapshot of a difficult year for the club. Several players who were once in the national‑team conversation — Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras, Fran García, Gonzalo — saw their form dip at the worst possible time.
Dani Carvajal wasn’t even on the preliminary list, but his absence stems from injuries and long stretches of inactivity rather than performance alone.
More disappointments: Ansu Fati misses out again
Monday morning brought more tough news. Ansu Fati, who had been rescued for two of Spain’s last three major tournaments (Qatar 2022 and the 2023 Nations League Final Four), was left out despite a strong finish to the season.
Coach Luis de la Fuente opted to load the wings with pure specialists: Yéremi Pino and Víctor Muñoz made the cut as potential backups for Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.
At striker, there was no room for Gonzalo or Carlos Espí. Instead, Borja Iglesias — who was left out in 2022 in favor of Ansu Fati — finally earned his World Cup ticket.
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