De la Fuente sets conditions for Dani Carvajal’s Spain return

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente left Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal out of the March squad, a surprise omission that highlighted the manager’s demand for peak physical condition ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Carvajal and Alvaro Morata were both passed over as Spain balance loyalty to last summer’s winners with the need for match sharpness.

De la Fuente said the door is not closed but made clear what is required for a recall. "With Carvajal… everyone knows what they have to do at home and we hope he’ll be even better so he can be with us; he’s a very important player," he said, adding: "Hopefully, Dani will recover the form he showed at the Euros… They need to play, get back to their usual level, and then they’ll be with us." Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García was a surprise inclusion, expanding the goalkeeping group to four.

De la Fuente defended the call-up as a tactical decision for the long-term cycle, saying: "He’s a great goalkeeper, we didn’t just discover that; he’s been an under-21 international for five years.

Spain

dani carvajal, spain coach, real madrid, alvaro morata, march squad, world cup, match sharpness, physical condition, joan garcía, barcelona goalkeeper