A detail before starting: the list by Luis de la Fuente for the World Cup had no surprises. If anything, that of Eric García, who is ahead of Le Normand. The rest, those already known.
Having said that, it is worth explaining that the form was much more exciting than the content. The Federation chose the Telefónica building on Gran Vía to make public the names of the 26 footballers on Monday morning. It seemed like Luis de la Fuente's doing, but it wasn't. The protagonist of the video where everything was revealed was His Majesty the King.
Felipe VI was seen walking on the grass of the main stadium at the Ciudad del Fútbol, explaining that these boys, the chosen ones, belong to everyone: "Because when the national team plays, we all play," he concluded after praising those who rise early, those who go out to sea, those who go to factories, those who distribute goods... to Spain, in short.
And then, 26 workers, from all possible fields (well, almost all), took turns one by one to announce the chosen ones, who are as follows:
And then, 26 players from every possible position (well, almost every one) went up one by one to the lads, who are as follows:
GOALKEEPERS: Unai Simón, David Raya, Joan García
DEFENDERS: Marcos Llorente, Pedro Porro, Laporte, Pubill, Cubarsí, Eric García, Cucurella, Grimaldo
MIDFIELDERS: Rodri, Zubimendi, Fabián, Pedri, Gavi, Mikel Merino, Álex Baena.
FORWARDS: Oyarzabal, Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Yeremy Pino, Borja Iglesias, Ferran Torres, Víctor Muñoz
As I said, the only surprise, if it can be considered as such, is that Eric García has overtaken Le Normand, one of Luis's regulars for the past two years, in the squad. But, apart from that, no surprises. Joan Garcia will be the third-choice goalkeeper at the expense of Alex Remiro. There are the three returning from injury who may not be fit for the first match (Lamine, Nico and Mikel Merino), and a lad like Víctor Muñoz, who rides a motorbike, has been called up.
Another detail, and not a minor one, is that for the first time in football history, the Spanish national team will play in a World Cup without a single Real Madrid player. Huijsen, the only one with a real chance of making the squad, has been penalised by a poor season, both his own and that of his team.
Carvajal and Morata, the former captains, are not in the squad. "Álvaro and Dani have left an indelible legacy, but the generation that remains - Unai, Rodrigo, Ferran, and so on - are cut from the same cloth as Carvajal and Morata," the manager said later at the press conference, where he also confirmed what was already known.
'The squad list had been finalised for weeks. Only cases like Fermín's have made us change it.' He was also blunt when asked about the absentees who had always been with him, such as Le Normand and Alex Remiro. 'Life gives nothing to anyone for free.' Well, there you have it.