Spain at the 2026 World Cup: Betting Everything on an Injured Teenager and No Real Madrid

Luis de la Fuente has named a World Cup squad with no Real Madrid players and Lamine Yamal barely recovered from a tendon injury. Genius or sporting suicide? Goldman Sachs says Spain are the favourites. Are you convinced, or do you see disaster coming?

When Luis de la Fuente announced Spain's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, the country was left stunned. Zero Real Madrid players. Not one. Not Vinícius, not Bellingham, not Valverde. The decision was a bombshell that dominated every front page.

The 18-year-old who has to save Spain

Lamine Yamal was 16 when Spain won Euro 2024. He is now 18 and is expected to lead the national team at the biggest tournament in the world. The problem: a hamstring tendon injury kept him out of Barça's final matches. De la Fuente called him up anyway, insisting he 'will be one hundred per cent fit when the World Cup begins.' That's the confidence-inspiring quote. Now comes the question nobody wants to ask: what if he isn't?

Why are there no Real Madrid players?

The official answer is that De la Fuente didn't find any of them fit enough or suited to his system. The unofficial explanation is rather different and revolves around a long-running cold war between the federation and the club. Vinícius Jr. is Brazilian, Bellingham is English — but Valverde, Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez... all left out. Is the decision political? Technical? Probably a mixture of both.

Group H: a poisoned chalice

Spain have been drawn in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. On paper, it is the most manageable group for the Spanish. But the pressure of going in as favourites — with Yamal only just recovered and without the Real Madrid contingent — means a group-stage exit would go from surprise to national catastrophe in a matter of hours.

• Cape Verde — An African side on the rise, but still a long way below European level
• Saudi Arabia — Famous for knocking out Argentina in 2022. Watch out for upsets!
• Uruguay — Old-school heavyweights. Darwin Núñez is a genuine threat

Predict Spain's route in QuiniPrats

Do you have a view on whether Spain will win the World Cup? Do you think Lamine Yamal will have a legendary tournament or that the injury will hold him back? On QuiniPrats you can create your own 2026 World Cup prediction league and go head-to-head with your friends round by round. Who has the sharpest eye for football?