The newspaper “Sport” reported that it is highly unlikely that Spain’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, will call up Barcelona goalkeeper Juan García to La Roja’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
García was one of La Liga’s best goalkeepers last season with Espanyol, which led to his transfer to Barcelona last summer for €25 million. Since then, he has consistently impressed with the Catalan club, increasing calls for De la Fuente to include him in the Spanish national team.
The coach responded to these calls in a press conference, saying, “We are very happy with Unai, David, and Alex, and we truly have five or six of the best goalkeepers in the world, such as Roberto Sánchez, Roma, and of course, Juan García.”
According to Sport, De la Fuente appreciates Garcia’s brilliance, but will not include him in the World Cup squad, preferring to continue relying on the trio of Unai, David, and Alex. De la Fuente believes Garcia possesses international experience, maintains cohesion, and has remained virtually unchanged since taking over as Spain’s coach.
De la Fuente’s decision is a significant blow to Garcia’s ambitions, especially since his outstanding performances with Barcelona should have guaranteed him a place in the World Cup squad. However, he clashes with the national team coach’s preference for stability and reluctance to make last-minute changes.
It is possible that Garcia will be called up to the Spanish squad next March if he continues his impressive form. Perhaps then there will be a glimmer of hope that he can convince De la Fuente of his worthiness to be included in the squad for the June 2026 World Cup.
