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Luis decided De la FuenteSpain coach’s position on Barcelona star Xavi’s call-up to El Matador’s 2026 World Cup squad.
As reported by the Spanish newspaper AS, Xavi will be among the 26 players that De La Fuente will select to participate in the World Cup after his strong return to the field with Barcelona.
The call-up is a reward for the player, who missed 192 days with a right knee injury before becoming a key element in Barcelona’s La Liga title run, to join the World Cup train just in time after always being one of De La Fuente’s and Hansi Flick’s dependable elements.
Xavi will be surrounded by his teammates at the Catalan club, as goalkeeper Juan Garcia and defender Pau Cobarsi have been confirmed in the final squad, which will be announced on the 25th of this month.
Garcia’s selection follows his emergence during the previous international break, while Koparsi is coming off an exceptional season, retaining his place in a backline that has been satisfied by the national team’s technical staff, in addition to the experience of Aymeric Laporte and the ability of Dean Hausen, whose presence has also been confirmed.
As for the full-back position, the coach decided on his options on the right flank with Pedro Boro and Marcos Llorente and on the left with Cucuria and Grimaldo, which dampens Real Madrid star Dani Carvajal’s hopes of a World Cup appearance.
Although the door is not completely closed for Carvajal, his physical condition remains the biggest obstacle, with the coach making his full recovery and return to action a key condition, commenting at the CV presentation ceremony that the Real Madrid captain needs time and opportunity to prove his level, suggesting that the final decision may not be in his favour.
The newspaper noted that the fate of Neko Williams, who is suffering from a muscle injury in his left leg, which will keep him out of the field for 3 weeks, is in doubt, causing the coach to worry about his readiness for the World Cup.
