Spain boss De la Fuente says national team should always come ahead of club interests

[p]The European champions head into next month's ‌tournament among the favourites, with De la Fuente's 26-man squad built around eight [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] players and none from ‌the Spanish capital's biggest club, bringing the fierce El Clasico rivalry into ‌the national team's debate.[/p][p]Defenders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huijsen-dean/2V3qUZAd/"]Dean Huijsen[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carvajal-daniel/rZh5FTHE/"]Dani Carvajal[/a] were among the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] names ‌to miss out on a team chasing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a]'s second World Cup title after ‌their 2010 triumph in South Africa.[/p][p]De la Fuente dismissed the idea that the decision could cost him support among Real Madrid fans.[/p][p][b]"For me, the greatest team there is - the very greatest - is the ‌Spanish national team,"[/b] De la Fuente said during a ⁠breakfast with media representatives organised by Spanish ‌public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE.[/p][p]"I don't look at where players come from or their ​background. What matters are Spanish players who are proud to represent their country's national team and to be part of a united nation."[/p][h2]Yamal 'raring to go' as he recovers from injury[/h2][p]Barcelona's contingent comprises [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-joan/vuAlEqes/"]Joan Garcia[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cubarsi-pau/UgTrNwCF/"]Pau Cubarsi[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-eric/2D2wHSbm/"]Eric Garcia[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gavi/xrV9v8CU/"]Gavi[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pedri/baBG8QuI/"]Pedri[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olmo-dani/2oVBOlPg/"]Dani Olmo[/a], Lamine Yamal and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torres-ferran/AVAVLaLt/"]Ferran Torres[/a], while seven players called up ⁠are based in the Premier ​League.[/p][p]The manager said sporting considerations alone guided his selection, even if squad decisions inevitably carried a subjective element.[/p][p][b]"The day I make a mistake, fail to make the right choice, or act in a way that might be beneficial just to get a result, I'm ‌putting my job on the line,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/cape-verde-MocyWdm7/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=Iiqjm5Pq"]Spain open Group H[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a] before facing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a], but De la Fuente may yet take a cautious approach with Lamine Yamal, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-nico/Cp7lcVjJ/"]Nico Williams[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Mikel Merino[/a], who are all recovering from fitness concerns.[/p][p][b]"We're in contact with all the clubs," he said. "We know that these players are in good physical shape; each one is making good progress in their recovery process. I'm very optimistic; I think they'll be available for the first match."[/b][/p][p]Still, De la Fuente said Spain's view stretched beyond the opener.[/p][p][b]"If we have to take ‌a risk, mate, we'll take it in a World Cup," he said. "But... our view ​goes beyond the first match and also the second. So, if we have ‌to wait a little longer, we'll wait."[/b][/p][p]On Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona winger expected to carry much of Spain's attacking threat, De la Fuente said youth had not dimmed his sense of occasion.[/p][p][b]"Yamal is absolutely thrilled and raring to go," [/b]he said. [b]"He's a very young lad, just 18, but he has a remarkable ⁠sense of maturity and knows that ⁠this is his moment.[/b][/p][p]"You have to ‌seize the moment. And he knows this is his moment."[/p]