Former Spain defender Gerard Piqué has defended national team coach Luis de la Fuente after the decision to leave Real Madrid players out of Spain's squad for the 2026 World Cup, saying the team is "built to win the World Cup," not to balance club politics.
Piqué spoke on Monday, hours after De la Fuente named his 26-man squad in Madrid for next month's tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The list includes no Real Madrid players for the first time since 1950, a historic omission for the 15-time European champions.
Piqué said people are angry because there are no Real Madrid players in the squad, but the national team is not built to protect egos or balance club politics.
Spain's European champions will travel with eight Barcelona players forming the core of the group: goalkeeper Joan Garcia, defenders Pau Cubarsí and Eric Garcia, midfielders Gavi and Pedri, and forwards Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres.
Real Madrid veterans Dani Carvajal and Dean Huijsen were among those left out. Piqué argued that if Barcelona currently has the Spanish players performing at the highest level and understanding the style the coach wants, then of course they will dominate the squad list, adding that Spain's greatest generation that won the 2010 World Cup was also built around Barça players.
De la Fuente played down the club debate at the announcement, telling reporters he does not look at where the players come from and wants players to be proud to represent the national team.