The Real Madrid crisis has spread to the national team.

Coach Luis de la Fuente did not call up any Real Madrid players for the 2026 World Cup, creating a shock for Spanish football.

After nearly a century of participation in the biggest football event on the planet, this is the first time the Spanish royal team has been completely absent from the "La Roja" jersey.

Performance crisis

The Spanish national team captain's decision clearly reflects the current state of affairs at the Bernabeu: a crisis of form, a lack of consistency, and a scarcity of high-quality Spanish players.

In the past, Real Madrid has always contributed important players to "La Roja" in major tournaments, most notably the golden generation that won the 2010 World Cup with captain Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso... Notably, the only Spanish team to ever win the World Cup was also led by a former Real Madrid player, coach Vicente del Bosque.

Dani Carvajal will not be able to participate in the World Cup for the third consecutive time (Photo: REAL MADRID FC)

In recent years, the number of Real Madrid players called up to the Spanish national team for the World Cup or European Championship has been steadily decreasing. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, six players from "Los Blancos" were part of the "La Roja" squad. By Euro 2020 (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the Spanish national team had no Real Madrid players.

Real Madrid are going through their darkest period in years. After signing French star Kylian Mbappé in July 2024, Real Madrid have gone two consecutive seasons without winning any trophies. Players once considered strong contenders, such as Dani Carvajal, vice-captain of the Spanish team that won Euro 2024, and Alvaro Carreras, are no longer maintaining their best form and fitness. Carvajal wasn't even included in the preliminary squad, while right-back Pedro Porro was still selected after a difficult season with Tottenham.

A shock for Spanish football.

Perhaps the most regrettable case is Dean Huijsen. The 21-year-old center-back was once highly rated and almost guaranteed a starting spot for the Spanish club thanks to his impressive performances at Bournemouth. However, since arriving at Bernabeu, he has failed to maintain consistency and lost his place in the North American squad this summer to Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona) and Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid).

Moving to Real Madrid could be a mistake for Dean Huijsen (Photo: REAL MADRID FC)

On the other hand, Real Madrid's recent reliance on international stars like Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham has left the Spanish giants with few quality options for "La Roja". Defenders Fran Garcia and Raul Asencio are almost certainly out of De la Fuente's plans. In midfield, Dani Ceballos cannot compete with the in-form Pedri and Fabian Ruiz, who played a major role in PSG's treble win in the 2024-2025 season.

The absence of Real Madrid players from the Spanish national team this time around may be a shock to Spanish football. However, from a professional perspective, "La Roja" fans have reason to be optimistic about their team's results at the 2026 World Cup. This is because De la Fuente is prioritizing form, tactical suitability, and team cohesion over club prestige.

The 64-year-old coach emphasized in a recent press conference: "I don't care about the players' backgrounds. They represent the Spanish national team, so I don't favor any particular club."

Looking at other national teams, many Real Madrid players will not be able to travel to North America this summer. Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold failed to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel, while midfielder Eduardo Camavinga paid the price for a poor season by losing his place in the French squad. Young midfielder Franco Mastantuono is also likely to be left out of Argentina's final squad after 23 appearances in La Liga with only one goal.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/khung-hoang-real-madrid-lan-sang-ca-tuyen-quoc-gia-196260526205722485.htm