Marc Bernal said he is hoping to be included in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad for World Cup 2026 and that he is holding off summer plans until the coach publishes his final list on Monday.
De la Fuente has confirmed he will call up 26 players and that the final list — which the coach says he has already chosen — will travel to a tournament staged across the USA, Mexico and Canada that will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.
The numbers are concrete: 26 players, a likely three goalkeepers, a 4-2-3-1 formation that De la Fuente says will keep the team focused on wing play and a strong central line, and a coaching staff that watches up to 60 matches a week as it evaluates candidates. Bernal, who has made an impressive return from injury this season, said plainly, "I would like to go there. Representing a country is the best thing for a footballer." He added, "I’m not ruling myself out yet. For now, I’m not making any plans for the summer until the final list comes out on Monday."
That urgency matters because the coach has already signalled who he expects to carry the core workload. De la Fuente highlighted Rodrigo, Merino, Oyarzabal, Ferran, Dani Olmo and Gavi among the team’s leaders and experienced players, and the squad is expected to include a host of Barca stars. At the same time, Barcelona’s hopes suffered a setback this week after Fermin Lopez underwent surgery on a fractured metatarsal and will not be available.
Context is short and sharp: Spain is in the final stage of selecting its World Cup group and the coach says the team’s playing model and tactical principles are already established. De la Fuente has reiterated that the side will continue to use 4-2-3-1 and that any final calls will be made with respect to both the system and the squad’s spirit. The spain world cup squad that he names on Monday will therefore reflect more than club form — it will reflect fit and cohesion around that model.
The selection process also carries friction. De la Fuente has warned he will not tolerate a lack of respect or team spirit in the group and said the final list may include new names who have not previously been called up to the senior team. He also confirmed a headline omission when he said he did not invite Sergio Ramos despite the defender’s status as a legend of Spanish football — a blunt reminder that pedigree alone does not guarantee a place. That hard line sits beside another reality: the staff’s workload. De la Fuente said his coaches watch up to 60 matches a week and analyse both their own players and opponents, suggesting that late surges in form or recovery from injury can still influence selection.
What happens next is simple and decisive. De la Fuente will make his squad public on Monday; the list he has already chosen will determine who travels to the United States, Mexico and Canada and who spends the summer elsewhere. For players like Bernal, whose season included a notable return from injury, the announcement is everything — and his own posture is practical and clear. He said, "I’m not ruling myself out yet. For now, I’m not making any plans for the summer until the final list comes out on Monday." Bernal will wait, and when De la Fuente speaks, the selector’s preference for tactical fit, team spirit and readiness will speak louder than reputation.
