Luis de la Fuente has named Spain’s first squad since their historic 2026 FIFA World Cup triumph, with Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen and Barcelona midfielder Fermín López both returning to the fold ahead of the upcoming Nations League fixtures. The 26-man group shows remarkable continuity, with only four changes from the World Cup-winning squad.

Champions Return to Action

Spain lifted the World Cup for the second time in July, beating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time thanks to a Ferran Torres strike, in a tournament co-hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This squad announcement, made by De la Fuente from Ceuta, marks the team’s first gathering since that triumph, with the side now preparing for four matches across just over ten days as their new international cycle begins — including a fixture at Wembley, where Spain will wear their second star for the first time.

Position	Players
Goalkeepers	Unai Simón, David Raya, Josep Martínez
Defenders	Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marc Cucurella, Dean Huijsen, Pedro Porro
Midfielders	Rodri, Pedri, Fermín López, Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Fabián Ruiz, Álex Baena
Forwards	Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Yeremy Pino, Nico Williams, Mikel Oyarzabal, Víctor Muñoz, Roberto Fernández

Huijsen and Fermín Return

Dean Huijsen’s inclusion is one of the squad’s more notable talking points, given he was left out of Spain’s World Cup-winning group entirely despite an impressive spell at Real Madrid. His recall comes on the back of a strong start to the new season and his continued development under José Mourinho. Fermín López, meanwhile, missed the World Cup after picking up an injury with Barcelona, and returns to midfield after a full recovery, coming in to replace Gavi in the squad.

Speaking after the announcement, De la Fuente welcomed both players back, saying he wanted to acknowledge the effort they’d put in to earn their place in the national team, praising their work ethic and calling the group fantastic both on and off the pitch. He added that both Huijsen and Fermín — the latter having suffered what he called an unfortunate injury — could now enjoy the experience of being back with the squad.

The Other Changes

Beyond the two returning names, Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martínez earns his first call-up, replacing the injured Joan García, who is sidelined with a knee problem. Espanyol striker Roberto Fernández is the squad’s biggest surprise inclusion, rewarded with a maiden call-up after a strong start to the domestic season, in which he’s scored six goals. On the other side of the ledger, Gavi, Borja Iglesias, and Joan García all miss out, while Marcos Llorente does not feature having already retired from international football.

A Continuation, Not a Rebuild

With 22 of the 26 names retained directly from the World Cup-winning squad, De la Fuente’s selection signals that this is very much a continuation of the group that delivered Spain’s second World Cup, rather than the start of a wholesale rebuild. The schedule, however, gives the coach little room to ease his squad back into competitive action — four matches in just over ten days means Huijsen, Fermín, and the two debutants will need to integrate quickly as Spain begins life as world champions.

Why It Matters

Spain’s ability to reintegrate two key players who missed the World Cup — one through late-cycle omission, the other through injury — while barely disrupting the core of a World Cup-winning group speaks to the strength in depth De la Fuente now has at his disposal. With most of the trophy-winning squad still intact and two significant returnees added back in, Spain look set to carry their World Cup momentum straight into the new Nations League campaign.