Ramos, Alcantara, De Gea Misses Out Of Spain's 26-Man Squad For The 2022 FIFA World Cup In Qatar.

Spain's head coach, Luis Enrique, has on Friday announced his team's 26-man squad for the  2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Spanish boss, is taking the 26 players to the world's biggest sporting event who, in his opinion, will best execute the plan he has in mind. 

He has selected a very young team which comprises of eight defenders, seven midfielders and eight strikers, with former club Barcelona the most represented with seven players picked from the Camp Nou.

Enrique surprisingly included Ansu Fati in the squad for the World Cup, despite his struggles for fitness following numerous injury setbacks, and not making an international appearance since 2020.

The 20-year-old Barcelona's striker, is one eight forwards named in the squad including fellow rising stars Yeremi Pino and Nico Williams.

Fati made his international debut in 2020 at 17, and in his second game he became the youngest player to score for Spain, breaking a record held since 1925 by Juan Errazquien.

The most notable absence in Enrique's squad were Paris Saint-Germain’s Sergio Ramos, Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara, Manchester United and Chelsea's goalkeepers David de Gea and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso.

Ramos, 36, was a key member of Spain squad which won the World Cup in 2010, and had hoped to make the Qatar World Cup his fifth appearance at the mundial. 

Alcantara misses out due to fitness issues he has had to suffer this season. The 31-year-old midfielder saw his role diminish with the rise of Barca teenagers Pedri, 19, and 18-year-old Gavi.

David de Gea had earlier been excluded in Spain’s provisional squad having fallen out of favour with Enrique in March, and Kepa also excluded from the main squad, with Brighton’s Robert Sanchez and Brentford’s David Raya favoured ahead of them in goal.

Sergio Busquets is the only player in Spain's squad for this year's World Cup who won the World Cup in 2010. He will be captaining La Roja as well.

in Enrique's words, "is not going to die of fear", after his preference to go all-in with Spain’s new generation of talent.

“Youth gives you freedom because you are not yet aware of the consequences,” Enrique said. “Yet, most of the youngsters that are with us are already in high-level teams... He said.

“The bar that I’m setting is infinity. My goal is to compete in every game.

“There’s no one outside of Spain who rules out Spain as a candidate to be among the best. We are going to give war, there is no doubt.”

La Roja face a pre-tournament friendly against Jordan on November 17 before kicking off their Group E campaign against Costa Rica six days later.

Spain are in Group E with Costa Rica, Germany and Japan, as they look forward to try and win their second World Cup.

Here is Spain’s World Cup 26man squad in full:

Goalkeepers: 

Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), 

Robert Sanchez (Brighton & Hove Albion), 

David Raya (Brentford).

Defenders: 

Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), 

Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), 

Eric Garcia (FC Barcelona), 

Hugo Guillamon (Valencia), 

Pau Torres (Villarreal), A

Laporte (Man City), 

Jordi Alba (FC Barcelona), 

Jose Gaya (Valencia).

Midfielders: 

Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), 

Rodri Hernandez (Man City), 

Gavi (Barcelona), 

Carlos Soler (PSG), 

Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), 

Pedri Gonzalez (Barcelona), 

Koke Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid).

Forwards: 

Ferran Torres (Barcelona), 

Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), 

Yeremi Pino (Villarreal), 

Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), 

Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), 

Pablo Sarabia (PSG), 

Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), 

Ansu Fati (Barcelona).