Jordi Alba is the most notable omission in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain first team. He joined his Barcelona teammates Ferran Torres, Anse Fati and Eric Garcia who missed the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Scotland.
Former under-21 coach De la Fuente took over the senior side after last year’s World Cup, while Luis Enrique stepped down after a surprise round of 16 elimination against Morocco.
Following this tournament, senior players Sergio Busquets and Sergio Ramos retired from international football, with the latter doing so after being overlooked due to La Roja’s trip to Qatar.
Alba, who has started three of Spain’s four World Cup games, is the biggest name De la Fuente has missed, with fellow Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde getting the nod.
Blue Garnet midfielders Gavi and Pedri qualified, but teammates Torres, Fati and Garcia joined Alba.
Osasuna defender David Garcia and Espanyol striker Joselu, 32, are two unsheltered players in a group of 26 that will face off against Norway next Saturday in Malaga.
Spain will then travel to Hampden Park to take on Scotland three days later, with the rest of Cyprus and Georgia drawing against La Roja in Group A.
Empesamos