De la Fuente says Spain come before club loyalty after first World Cup squad without Real Madrid players

MADRID, May 26 : Luis de la Fuente stressed that Spain's badge outranks any club crest on Tuesday after naming a World Cup squad with a distinctly Barcelona hue and, for the first time, no Real Madrid player in sight.

The European champions head into next month's tournament among the favourites, with De la Fuente's 26-man squad built around eight Barcelona players and none from the Spanish capital's biggest club, bringing the fierce El Clasico rivalry into the national team's debate.

Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the Real Madrid names to miss out on a team chasing Spain's second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa.

De la Fuente dismissed the idea that the decision could cost him support among Real Madrid fans.

"For me, the greatest team there is — the very greatest — is the Spanish national team," De la Fuente said during a breakfast with media representatives organised by Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE.

"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."

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Barcelona's contingent comprises Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while ​seven players called up are based in the Premier League.

The manager said sporting considerations alone guided his selection, even if squad decisions inevitably carried a subjective element.

"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," he said.

Spain open Group H against Cape Verde before facing