Sofia Quijada
Dani Carvajal‘s place in Spain‘s World Cup squad remains uncertain, with national team manager Luis de la Fuente confirming the Real Madrid captain must prove his fitness and form before any selection decision is made. The right back suffered a right foot injury in training last week, adding pressure to an already difficult season.
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“Carvajal is a very important figure in our dressing room,” De la Fuente told reporters on Wednesday. “I actually spoke with him yesterday, so I’m aware of what’s going on. He doesn’t have a specific injury, nothing serious, but he needs time to get back to his usual level. We’ll see in the remaining matches whether he truly gets the opportunity and delivers the performances.”
De la Fuente acknowledged that Carvajal, who made just one appearance for Spain in 2025, would understand if he were left out of the squad. The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Carvajal, 34, is approaching the final weeks of his contract with Real Madrid and has seen his game time limited this season due to competition from Trent Alexander-Arnold. A player of his standing would ordinarily be an automatic pick, but the combination of injury, reduced minutes, and contract uncertainty makes his situation genuinely precarious.
Spain open their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15, with further Group H fixtures against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to follow. The group stage schedule leaves little room for selections based on sentiment rather than form.
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