Spain boss Luis de la Fuente names a preliminary 29-man squad for Euro 2024, including Barcelona youngsters Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has named Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez and Real Betis’ Ayoze Perez in his preliminary squad for this summer’s European Championship.
Lopez and Perez are in the La Roja squad for the first time, with the pair both bidding to be a part of the final selection for Euro 2024.
De la Fuente has selected an initial squad of 29 which will need to be cut by three by the June 7 deadline.
Three Premier League players have been included, with David Raya, who is on loan at Arsenal from Brentford, named in the squad alongside Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Manchester City’s Rodri.
However, there is no room for Aston Villa’s Pau Torres or Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro, while Marco Asensio is another notable absentee for the European giants; Gavi is also out due to injury.
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Yamal, Cubarsi both make it
Unsurprisingly, Barcelona’s teenage duo Lamine Yamal, 16, and Pau Cubarsi, 17, have been included, with the pair potentially playing important roles for their national team this summer.
Unai Simon is set to be the team’s number one goalkeeper at Euro 2024, while Dani Carvajal, Aymeric Laporte and Nacho are notable inclusions in defence.
Dani Vivian also makes it due to his form for Athletic Bilbao this season, while Aleix Garcia‘s displays for Girona during the 2023-24 campaign have also seen him included.
Alex Baena of Villarreal will be bidding to add to his two caps at the tournament, while as mentioned, Perez is the surprise inclusion in the final third of the field.
Joselu has contributed heavily for Real Madrid this season, scoring 17 times in all competitions, and he is another option in the final third of the field.
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Morata is the squad’s leading goalscorer with 34
There will perhaps be a slight concern about the lack of goals in the Spain squad, with Alvaro Morata comfortably leading in that area with 34 in 71 caps.
Ferran Torres is second in the goalscoring charts with 18, while Dani Olmo has eight and Mikel Oyarzabal seven, but Nico Williams, Joselu, Yamal and Perez have just nine Spain goals between them.
Rodri is the leading goalscorer from midfield with three, while Jesus Navas is actually the highest-scoring defender in the squad with five.
Navas, 38, will be bidding to add to his 52 international caps, but Carvajal will undoubtedly be Spain’s first-choice right-back at the tournament providing that he is available.
Spain will take on Andorra and Northern Ireland in their two pre-tournament friendlies before opening their Euro 2024 campaign against Croatia on June 15; Italy and Albania are also present in the section.
Spain’s preliminary Euro 2024 squad:
Goalkeepers: Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad), David Raya (Arsenal), Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao)
Defenders: Aymeric Laporte (Al-Nassr), Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Nacho (Real Madrid), Marc Cucarella (Chelsea), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)
Midfielders: Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Baena (Villarreal), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Rodri (Manchester City), Marcos Llorente (Athletico Madrid), Pedri (Barcelona), Aleix Garcia (Girona), Fermin Lopez (Barcelona)
Forwards: Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Joselu (Real Madrid), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ayoze Perez (Real Betis), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)