Spain Starting XI and Squad Projection for the 2026 World Cup

Could we be on the verge of another international football dynasty?

Spain's men's national team looks primed to sweep up every available tournament trophy in the next few years, reminiscent of the nation's success from 2008 to 2012. 

During that period, La Furia Roja won two European Championships and a World Cup, built on a squad featuring stars like Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, David Silva, David Villa, Fernando Torres, Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, and Iker Cassilas. 

Now, after winning Euro 2024 in Germany, Spain is the bookies' favorite to win the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, according to Oddschecker.

However, a speed bump has already been laid on Spain's road to glory. Lamine Yamal suffered a suspected hamstring tear in Barcelona's 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Wednesday. With less than two months until the global showpiece kicks off, the youngster is now in a race against time to be fit for the competition.

But which other stars will the Iberian nation be depending on for international glory? Ahead, we've picked a likely starting XI for Spain's opening Group H game against Cape Verde on June 15, selected in a 4-2-3-1 formation.  

We've also predicted the full squad that manager Luis de la Fuente will be taking to the tournament. 

Goalkeeper: Unai Simon

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Spain is spoiled for choice in most areas of the pitch, and that's especially true in the goalkeeping department. 

De La Fuente has to pick from Barcelona's Joan Garcia, Arsenal's David Raya, and Athletic Club's Unai Simon.

All have a solid case for starting between the sticks, but Simon has had the coach's backing thus far.

The 28-year-old has only really missed out on the starting spot because of injury or rotation in friendlies or low-stakes matchups. Of De La Fuente's 39 matches in charge, Simon has started 26, captaining the team on multiple occasions. 

Simon's club side has had a difficult season, slipping from a fourth-place finish in La Liga in 2024-25 into midtable.

However, those problems in the Basque Country don't seem to have deterred Spain's selection plan, and unless Simon succumbs to injury in the coming months, he'll be wearing the gloves in opening game. 

Left-back: Marc Cucurella

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For a time, Marc Cucurella was the unfortunate poster boy of Chelsea's Premier League struggles, with his reported $81 million move from Brighton to West London in 2022 looking like yet another example of the Blues throwing money at players who simply aren't up to standard.

While Chelsea's problems persist, the 27-year-old has slowly proved his worth at Stamford Bridge, and he's a regular in the national team setup. He was excellent at Euro 2024, even providing a crucial assist in the final against England.

He has some competition from Bayer Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo, but De La Fuente has opted for Cucurella more often than not.

At the 2026 tournament, Cucurella will once again be relied upon to keep the left-hand side locked down with his trademark energy and tenacity, as well as to provide a threat in the final third.

Center back: Robin Le Normand

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Describing the center-back spots as the weakest area of Spain's squad might be a bit unfair, but it is perhaps the most uncertain.

Atletico Madrid's Robin Le Normand has been one of De La Fuente's starters of choice when fit, but he's not the most inspiring of options.

The 29-year-old should take one of the two spots in the heart of defense in North America, not least because he was a regular in Spain's successful Euro 2024 campaign.

Le Normand has missed some time with knee problems this season, and he'll need to stay fit to not leave the national team shorthanded at the position heading into the tournament. If he's absent, a younger and less experienced option will have to step up on the world stage.

Center back: Aymeric Laporte

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Aymeric Laporte is the other regular pick in the heart of Spain's defense, although he also comes with a troubling injury history.

His familiarity with club-mate Unai Simon certainly works in his favor, but it's also worth noting that Athletic Club have conceded 45 goals in 31 La Liga games this season, only six fewer than the leakiest club in the division, Sevilla. 

Laporte started all but one game at Euro 2024, and he should be favored again this time around, if not only for his World Cup experience. He started three of Spain's four fixtures in Qatar, and while it was an unsuccessful tournament for the nation, knowledge of performing under that kind of pressure will be a useful tool in the backline.

Spain's other main options at center-back are 19-year-old Pau Cubarsi of Barcelona and 21-year-old Dean Huijsen of Real Madrid. 

Neither has started an international tournament, and of the two, Cubarsi looks more likely to be the next man up. He might eventually claim one of the two center-back spots, likely in place of Le Normand, but he won't be involved in Spain's curtain-raiser. 

Right-back: Pedro Porro

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Dani Carvajal's near decade-long stranglehold on Spain's right-back spot has significantly loosened, especially since he's only just working his way back from a long-term injury. 

Pedro Porro appears to be the successor. While he has had to endure Tottenham Hotspur's horrendous Premier League season, he is at least one of the best players among a bad bunch. 

His goal contributions have declined compared to recent campaigns, but in a Spurs squad that has struggled in the forward areas for much of the season, that's to be expected.

Still, he has regularly offered a threatening presence down the right-hand side for the North Londoners, and his stout contributions at the back have often been in vain because of erratic play at center-back and a weak, disorganized midfield. 

Atletico Madrid's Marcos Llorente will provide some competition at the position, and Carvajal will likely be a squad option too, fitness permitting. However, Porro has more often than not been the starting pick in the Real Madrid legend's absence, and that should remain true at the tournament.  

Defensive Midfielder: Rodri

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It's abundantly clear just how important Rodri is to Manchester City. 

Without the Ballon d'Or-winner last season, the Citizens slipped to their first trophyless campaign since 2016-17. Now that he's returned, City are back in the hunt for a Premier League title and have already sealed Carabao Cup glory. 

For Spain, he is similarly essential, proving a key part of the team that romped to the Euro 2024 trophy. His removal from the final after 46 minutes due to injury had many predicting the cup would go to England instead. While that didn't play out, it demonstrates exactly what he means to the sides he plays in. 

He provides a near-impenetrable shield in front of defense and has a brilliant tactical brain. That know-how is so vital in tournament football, as it helps to regulate a team that is not so familiar with each other. 

The injury bug might yet rear its ugly head, though. The 29-year-old exited City's Premier League win against Arsenal with a groin injury, and he'll need to manage that issue with the tournament drawing near.  

If he's fit, Rodri will be the first name on the teamsheet.

Defensive Midfielder: Pedri

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It can be difficult to remember that Pedri is just 23 years old. He's an essential part of a Barcelona team on the way to a second consecutive La Liga title, and he already has 40 caps for his country.

He has been an important part of Spain setups that have been to two European Championships and one World Cup, and he'll be a surprisingly senior figure at the upcoming tournament in North America. 

His positioning, vision and immaculate timing will be the perfect foil for the attacking talent in front of him, and he's so difficult to track that opposing midfielders and defenders won't know how to stop him from dictating the play. 

Martín Zubimendi could also take up this role if Spain needs a little extra steel, and Fabián Ruiz will stake a claim if he's fit. 

However, with Pedri positioned alongside Rodri in the engine room, the Barcelona star has the perfect partner to mop up breaks while he's busy in a free midfield role. 

Left-winger: Nico Williams

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Nico Williams' campaign for Athletic Club has been scuppered by injury, with the 23-year-old missing 10 La Liga games because of groin and abdominal problems.

He's still managed four goals and three assists in 21 games, but the stats perhaps don't even matter at this point. At Euro 2024, he was part of a devastating wing pairing that opponents had no idea how to handle. If he's available, he'll play. 

He has 30 caps for the national team in his still budding career, with six goals and eight assists. While it has been a difficult season, Williams has shown a knack for bouncing back quickly, so he should still be a nightmare for defenses to handle if he makes it to the tournament. 

Attacking Midfielder: Dani Olmo

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Dani Olmo is a really difficult footballer to pin down. Where exactly is his best position? 

He has featured as a central midfielder, No. 10, winger and false nine in his career, but it's still tough to say which role most suits him. That can be considered both a compliment and a criticism, although that positional versatility makes him an ideal squad addition at the international level.

For Spain, he fits snuggly in a central attacking berth between the two wingers and behind the striker, operating in limited space, squeezing through tight gaps, and acting as a distraction for the magicians on either flank. 

His seemingly telepathic understanding with Williams and the next player in this list helped him score three goals and add two assists in Spain's successful Euro 2024 campaign, marking his best spell in a red shirt. 

Fermin Lopez is an option after another fine season with Barcelona, and injuries could play a part in the selection at this position. If either of the two top wingers is out, Olmo could then shift onto the flank.

Considering how lethal he was at the last major tournament, he should be in the starting lineup against Cape Verde regardless.

Right-winger: Lamine Yamal

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The most exciting young player on the planet would otherwise be nailed on for the right-wing spot, but Spain could be forced to change plans depending on the extent of his hamstring injury.

Lamine Yamal, two-time Kopa Trophy winner and 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up, continues to thrill and amaze, scoring 24 and assisting 18 in 45 games in all contests for Barcelona this season. He'll still be 18 when the tournament kicks off in June.

At Euro 2024, he provided four assists and scored once on the way to the title, picking up the trophy just after his 17th birthday.

That attacking trio of Yamal, Olmo and Williams was impossible to deal with at that tournament, and they will be looking to rekindle that relationship once again despite rarely featuring in the same XI since.

The World Cup adds another layer of pressure and expectation, but Yamal has dealt with it all effortlessly up to this point in his young career. He'll simply use the stage to add to his already growing status, even making it clear that he is the absolute best in the business.

A Spain tournament victory and another Yamal star turn could solidify his case for the next Ballon d'Or.

Forward: Mikel Oyarzabal

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Perhaps mercifully, the era of Alvaro Morata as Spain's No. 9 appears to have come to an end. 

Samu Aghehowa could have claimed the spot, but a cruciate ligament tear means he'll miss the tournament. 

Ferran Torres might have staked a claim, but his inconsistency doesn't help his cause. He has 14 goals and one assist in La Liga this term, but he's scored just three times in league play since December 7. 

Mikel Oyarzabel, though, has the trust of De La Fuente, missing just three games for Spain since the conclusion of Euro 2024.

During that time, he has 12 goals and six assists in 15 appearances, which is a stunning run of form considering he has just 12 goals and three assists in his last 23 league games for Real Sociedad. 

As club captain, he'll lead by example from the front, helping the young wingers in their first appearance on the world stage. 

His efforts in April's Copa del Rey final with Real Sociedad add to his case for inclusion, with the 29-year-old scoring a penalty under pressure at the end of the first half on the way to his club lifting the title.

Experience, class and international potency will see Oyarzabel as a key player for his national team for the first time at a major tournament, despite making his international debut 10 years ago and featuring at two European Championships and one World Cup since.

His time is now. 

Full squad

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GK: Unai Simón, David Raya, Joan García

DEF: Marc Cucurella, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Pedro Porro, Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Dean Huijsen, Cristhian Mosquera, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Carvajal

MID: Rodri, Pedri, Martín Zubimendi, Fabián Ruiz, Gavi, Pablo Barrios, Dani Olmo, Fermín López

FWD: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Mikel Oyarzabel, Ferran Torres, Alex Baena