Fede Vidal has announced the final list of 15 players set to represent Spain at the World Cup in Uzbekistan. The national coach disclosed the names of those chosen to compete for Spain’s tenth FIFA championship from September 14 to October 6. Notably, Francisco José Cortés and Daniel Gabriel García were surprise inclusions. All selected players will travel to Uzbekistan, but one will be cut before the final registration, reducing the team to 14 players.
The inclusion of Cortés, a right winger from Almería recently signed by Jimbee Cartagena, and García, a pivot from Quesos El Hidalgo Manzanares, were notable additions. Sergio Lozano’s return was confirmed, marking his first national team appearance since February 2023. Having missed the 2021 World Cup in Lithuania due to injury, the Barça captain, turning 36 in November, will not miss what is expected to be his last World Cup after his fourth knee operation.
The most significant omission is Javier García Moreno, known as Chino, from Jaén Paraíso Interior, who was replaced by Cortés. Only six players from the last World Cup will join Vidal’s squad. Goalkeepers Jesús Herrero and Dídac Plana, wingers Miguel Ángel Mellado and Adolfo Fernández, and power forwards Raúl Gómez and captain Raúl Campos.
The rest of the roster includes third goalkeeper José Miguel Oliver (Chemi), league champion with Jimbee Cartagena, and veterans Antonio Manuel Sánchez ‘Boyis’ and Tomaz Braga in the closing position. Antonio Pérez, at 24, will be the youngest in a squad averaging 30.4 years. Left-handed wingers Juanjo Catela from Cádiz and César Velasco from Jaén are also included. Daniel Gabriel will be the only pivot, but he might be the final player cut in Uzbekistan as Vidal opts for a 4-0 formation without specialist pivots, excluding Pablo Ramírez and Jesús Gordillo.
Coach Vidal emphasized choosing the 14 best-suited players for the demanding World Cup competition.
Spain, in Group D, will face Kazakhstan, New Zealand, and Libya on September 15, 18, and 21, respectively. Vidal stated that understanding the match dynamics and potential opponents influenced the complex selection process. Unlike other countries, Spain will not release a preliminary list. The team will start preparations at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas on July 25, 51 days before the opening match, to consolidate the group and focus on winning.
Spain has not reached a World Championship final since 2012 and has not won since 2004. Vidal noted that this World Cup might see more surprises during the group stage, with a high level of competition and equality among teams. He concluded by highlighting the importance of the group stage and the difficulty of each match in the knockout rounds.