For a country with one of the richest soccer traditions in the world, Spain’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad reflects both continuity and change. Luis de la Fuente has once again placed his trust in a core of homegrown stars such as Lamine Yamal.
One question has sparked curiosity among fans following La Roja’s journey in North America: does this roster include any players who were actually born outside Spain? The answer offers an interesting glimpse.
Among the 26 players selected, only one was born beyond Spain’s borders: veteran defender Aymeric Laporte, who was born in France before eventually becoming a Spanish international after building his career in La Liga.
Why does Aymeric Laporte play for Spain instead of France?
Aymeric Laporte plays for Spain because he obtained Spanish citizenship in 2021 and was allowed by FIFA to change his international allegiance after never playing an official senior match for France.
Aymeric Laporte of Spain walks to the bus to head to Atlanta (Source: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Although he captained several French youth teams and was once viewed as a future Les Bleus regular, his long-awaited breakthrough at senior level never arrived.
He was born in Agen, France, on May 27, 1994, and represented his country at the U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels. He was highly regarded within the French setup and even captained some of those youth sides.
However, competition for places under Didier Deschamps was fierce, with players such as Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti and Laurent Koscielny ahead of him in the pecking order. Despite receiving call-ups to France’s senior squad in 2016 and 2019, he never stepped onto the field in an official match.
The turning point came in May 2021, when the Spanish government granted him citizenship through an expedited process requested by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
FIFA approved the switch days later because he had never been cap-tied to France at senior level. He made his Spain debut in a friendly against Portugal before UEFA Euro 2020 and was included in Luis Enrique’s squad for the tournament.
Who is in Spain’s 2026 FIFA World Cup roster?
Spain’s 2026 FIFA World Cup roster includes 26 players selected by Luis de la Fuente, blending the core of the UEFA Euro 2024 champions with a new generation of emerging stars. Led by Pedri and Lamine Yamal, La Roja heads to North America with one of the deepest squads in the tournament.
Goalkeepers
- Unai Simon (Athletic Club)
- David Raya (Arsenal)
- Joan García (Barcelona)
Defenders
- Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Marcos Llorente (Atletico de Madrid)
- Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr)
- Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)
- Marc Pubill (Atletico de Madrid)
- Eric García (Barcelona)
- Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)
- Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders
- Rodri (Manchester City)
- Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal)
- Pedri (Barcelona)
- Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Mikel Merino (Arsenal)
- Gavi (Barcelona)
- Alex Baena (Atletico de Madrid)
Forwards
- Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
- Ferran Torres (Barcelona)
- Borja Iglesias (Celta de Vigo)
- Dani Olmo (Barcelona)
- Victor Muñoz (Osasuna)
- Nico Williams (Athletic Club)
- Yeremy Pino (Villarreal)
The squad also made history for an unexpected reason: for the first time ever, Spain entered a FIFA World Cup without a single Real Madrid player on its final roster. Instead, Barcelona dominates the group with eight representatives.
