With just three matches remaining in La Liga, the countdown to the World Cup is officially on—and Spain's squad selection is heating up. Manager Luis de la Fuente has until May 30 to finalize his 26-man roster for this summer's tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Competition for those coveted spots is fierce, and one Barcelona star is making a late, compelling case for inclusion.
According to Diario AS, Barcelona midfielder Gavi has played his way back into contention for La Roja. The 21-year-old's impressive performances over the past month have reportedly secured him a spot among the 20-22 players de la Fuente already had in mind back in March. Gavi won't be the only Blaugrana representative—teammates Pau Cubarsi and goalkeeper Joan Garcia are also expected to make the cut.
The defensive lineup is taking shape, with Pedro Porro, Marcos Llorente, Marc Cucurella, and Alejandro Grimaldo set to handle full-back duties. That leaves Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal on the outside looking in. In central defense, Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen and Athletic Club's Aymeric Laporte will join Cubarsi, though the fourth center-back slot remains a question mark.
Atletico Madrid's Robin Le Normand is battling teammate Marc Pubill for that final defensive spot, but another Atletico player, Alex Baena, faces uncertainty. De la Fuente has no doubts about Baena's talent, but his inconsistent first season at the Metropolitano has raised concerns.
The longlist continues to grow. After reports revealed that Alberto Moleiro, Victor Munoz, and Jorge de Frutos are among 55 preliminary candidates, Marca has added Ander Barrenetxea, Aleix Garcia, Carlos Soler, Yeremy Pino, and Jesus Rodriguez to the mix. For full-back depth, Braga's Victor Gomez and Real Sociedad's Sergio Gomez are also in consideration. Meanwhile, de la Fuente is keeping an eye on Pau Torres, Cristhian Mosquera, Dani Vivian, and Eric Garcia for central defense.
Injuries only add to the complexity. Nico Williams is expected to recover from his current fitness issues in time, though he's battled setbacks all season. Fabian Ruiz appears to be back at full strength, but the status of key midfielder Mikel Merino remains uncertain. With so many variables, de la Fuente faces a tough road to finalize a squad that can compete for glory this summer.