‘United’ Spain first as Barcelona top absent Real Madrid in World Cup squad

Real’s absence from Spain’s World Cup squad, while Barca dominate picks, explained by coach as ‘united nation’ first.Luis de la Fuente has stressed that Spain’s badge outranks any club crest after naming a World Cup squad with a distinctly Barcelona hue ⁠and, for the first time, no Real Madrid player in sight.The European champions head into next month’s tournament among the favourites, with coach De la Fuente’s 26-man squad built around eight Barcelona players and none from the Spanish capital’s biggest club, bringing ⁠the fierce El Clasico rivalry into the national team’s debate.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘You never know’: Spain fans cautiously embrace World Cup favourites taglist 2 of 4NBA legend Jordan pays tribute to Guardiola at Man City manager’s sendofflist 3 of 4NBA playoffs: New York Knicks reach finals for first time since 1999list 4 of 4Inter Miami says Messi dealing with ‘overload’, fatigue in left hamstringend of listDefenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the Real Madrid names to miss out on a team chasing Spain’s second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa.De la Fuente on Tuesday dismissed the idea that the decision could cost him support among Real Madrid fans.“For me, the greatest team there is – the very ‌greatest – is the Spanish national team,” De la Fuente said during a breakfast with media representatives organised by Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE.“I don’t look at where players come from or their background. What matters are Spanish players who are proud to represent their country’s national team and to be part of a united nation.”Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring their third goal in the La Liga match against Espanyol [Albert Gea/Reuters]Yamal raring to go for Spain at World Cup after injuryBarcelona’s contingent comprises Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are based in the Premier League.