Spain Leaves Carvajal and Morata Off World Cup Squad List

Spanish national team manager Luis de la Fuente has made the difficult decision official — veteran defenders Dani Carvajal and striker Álvaro Morata will not be part of Spain's World Cup campaign. Both players were excluded from the 55-man provisional roster submitted to FIFA on May 11.

"Just as I once decided to call him up to the national team, he'll understand if I need to make the reverse decision," de la Fuente said about Carvajal several weeks ago. That moment has now arrived for both players.

The omissions mean three of the four captains from Spain's triumphant Euro 2024 campaign won't be heading to North America this summer. Jesús Navas had already retired from international duty. With Carvajal and Morata now out, leadership duties fall to Rodri, Unai Simón, and Ferran Torres.

Injury troubles sealed Carvajal's fate

For the Real Madrid right back, persistent fitness issues made his exclusion nearly unavoidable. Carvajal has been sidelined for 109 days this season due to multiple setbacks including a muscle strain, knee injury, and broken toe. When fit enough to play, he managed only 886 minutes — ranking him 21st on Real Madrid's playing time list. That's a dramatic fall for someone who was the undisputed starter at right back for club and country throughout the past decade.

Reports suggest Carvajal is nearing a return to action against Oviedo, but that comeback won't include a World Cup appearance. He finishes his international career with 52 caps.

Three of Carvajal's Real Madrid clubmates — Dean Huijsen, Fran García, and Gonzalo García — did receive call-ups to the preliminary squad. Among them, only Huijsen has a legitimate chance of making the final 26-player roster.

Como switch failed to revive Morata's form

Morata's exclusion carries its own sense of disappointment. The striker transferred to Como in hopes of rejuvenating his career under former national teammate Cesc Fàbregas, believing a new setting would help him regain sharpness before the World Cup. The gamble didn't pay off — Morata scored just once in 28 appearances this season.

That stat is particularly jarring considering Morata sits fourth on Spain's all-time scoring list with 37 goals across 87 international matches. The talent has never been in question, but current form ultimately determines World Cup selection, not past accomplishments. Neither player had been called up for Spain's October, November, or March international windows — clear signals their World Cup hopes were fading.

Spain's final 26-player squad will be selected entirely from the 55-man preliminary list. For Morata and Carvajal, the door has closed. The World Cup will proceed without two of Spain's most experienced players.