Marc Cucurella has remained in Spain’s plans following their 2026 World Cup triumph, despite asserting before the final that he would retire from international football as soon as La Roja secured the trophy.
Head coach Luis de la Fuente included the Real Madrid fullback in his first post-World Cup squad, naming a 26-player list to face England, Croatia, and the Czech Republic in the opening fixtures of the UEFA Nations League.
Prior to the final against Argentina, Cucurella had remarked: “If we win the World Cup, I will call Luis the next day and tell him not to count on me again, because I will retire from international football.”
Spain went on to win the final 1–0, but the player did not follow through on his lighthearted comments. Returning to the squad less than two months later, he continues an international career that has played an integral role in back-to-back European and World Cup titles.
The selection features four changes compared to the World Cup squad, with goalkeeper Josep Martínez, defender Dean Huijsen, midfielder Fermín López, and forward Roberto Fernández entering the side in place of Joan García, Marcos Llorente, Gavi, and Borja Iglesias.
Huijsen effectively replaces Llorente following the latter’s international retirement, though Eric García is expected to step into his role on the pitch. Meanwhile, Joan García and Borja Iglesias were sidelined through injury, and Gavi missed out following a flare-up of his knee issue.
Roberto Fernández earned his spot after scoring 6 goals in the opening six rounds of La Liga, earning De la Fuente’s nod over Carlos Espí, Sergio Camello, and Gonzalo García. Espí’s omission came as the main surprise following his strong start to the season.
Spain visits Wembley to face England on September 26, before hosting Croatia in Seville on September 29, playing the Czech Republic in Oviedo on October 3, and concluding the window against Croatia in Split on October 6.
