Spain have named their squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria on September 4 and Turkiye on September 7, and Barcelona will be well represented with seven players earning selection.
In defence, Pau Cubarsi earns his spot, while the midfield is dominated by Barcelona talent: Pedri, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, and Dani Olmo all join the squad. Up front, the in-form duo of Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal complete the Barcelona representation.
Yet, there are some surprises. Joan Garcia, the summer signing who enjoyed a brilliant 2024/25, is absent once again. Alejandro Balde and Marc Casado also miss out.
On Garcia’s omission, coach Luis de la Fuente was blunt: “If I’d felt pressure, I would have brought him in. We monitor all the goalkeepers, and Joan could be here now, before, or in the future. And not because he’s at Barça. I want to tell you that players from clubs don’t come here; this is the national team, regardless of the club they come from.”
He added: “Let’s not make assumptions about whether 6 or 7 come from one club… Let’s give this importance. Joan’s time will come, for sure. Surely Joan’s moment will come, as it will for other teammates.”
Dela Fuente also spoke about Lamine Yamal, following his pre-season goal celebration against FC Seoul. Was it a crown? De la Fuente laughs it off: “I disagree with you, it wasn’t a crown, but a wizard’s hat. With Lamine, the focus is on superficial matters, but what should be highlighted is that he works harder than anyone and takes care of himself more than anyone.”
Fermin Lopez’s future has been a talking point, with Chelsea reportedly circling. De la Fuente subtly nudged the young midfielder to stay in Spain: “It’s very personal; he has to weigh up a lot of things. In football, there’s supply and demand, with the economic factor, I think, being secondary. The sporting aspect comes first… I’d like Spanish players to be in our league. I regret it when they go abroad because I think they’d make LaLiga more competitive here, which for me is the best in the world.”
Barcelona in Spain Squad:
- Defence: Pau Cubarsi
- Midfield: Pedri, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo
- Attack: Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal
- Omissions: Joan Garcia, Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado
