Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is preparing to name his first squad since the World Cup win, with the announcement scheduled for Friday. Attention has turned to six players who missed the tournament but have impressed early this season, and whose inclusion could bring impressive changes for the reigning champions.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed that it will release the squad list at 11:30 on September 18. This is the first official selection since Spain won its second World Cup, and several major Spanish sports outlets have reported on the event's significance.
Injuries and retirements have forced De la Fuente to make changes. Borja Iglesias is out with an injury, while Marcos Llorente has retired from international football. These absences have opened rare spots in a squad that only recently lifted the World Cup trophy. They are the basic reasons for the expected rotation in the upcoming squad.
The six players in contention are Xavi Espart, Carlos Espí, Sergio Camello, Roberto Fernández, Ángel Pérez, and Dean Huijsen. Each has made a strong case for selection. At just 19, Xavi Espart has broken into Barcelona's first team, taking over at left-back from Alejandro Balde, although his natural position is on the right. De la Fuente has a history of favoring La Masía graduates, making Espart a likely option to replace Llorente on the right side of defense.
Ángel Pérez, now at Alavés, is another right-back candidate. Since joining last winter, Pérez has helped Alavés reach fourth place in the league, a run that has drawn attention. Dean Huijsen, a central defender at Real Madrid, used his World Cup omission as motivation and has started the season strongly under Mourinho, putting himself back in the national team conversation.
Competition for a place up front is tight. Mikel Oyarzabal and Ferran Torres are seen as automatic picks, leaving room for only one new striker. Roberto Fernández has scored five goals in five games for Espanyol. Carlos Espí finished last season strongly and earned a €25 million move to Real Madrid. Sergio Camello, Rayo Vallecano's top scorer, is tied for the league lead with Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Mbappé, each with six goals in five matches.
Spain's Nations League fixtures add urgency to the decisions. The team will play England at Wembley, face Croatia twice, in Seville and Split, and meet the Czech Republic in Oviedo. Spain aims to show that the World Cup win was no accident and maintain momentum in a tournament it last won in 2023. The team narrowly missed out on a repeat in 2025 after losing to Portugal on penalties in Munich.
The squad announcement will take place in the Salón José Villalonga at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas. The prospect of new faces has generated anticipation, given the impact these players have already had at club level. De la Fuente's choices will shape Spain's ambitions for the Nations League and beyond.
Spanish football continues to change, both on and off the field. As reported earlier, the sport's influence reaches far beyond match results, reflecting broader shifts in Spanish society and culture. The current selection debate is part of this ongoing evolution and shows how tough the competition is for a place in one of the world's most successful squads. De la Fuente's willingness to reward current form over reputation sends a clear message: no spot is guaranteed, and every performance matters. That keeps established stars alert and brings new energy to a team determined to stay at the top of world football.
