Luis de la Fuente mentions Marc Pubill

Luis de la Fuente used a May 12 interview with RTVE to leave the door open to late movement around Spain’s World Cup squad, including the possibility of new faces. RTVE’s sports feed said the Spain coach mentioned defender Marc Pubill when discussing players who could still come into the picture before the tournament. The same reporting tied that conversation to Spain’s final stretch of preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Spain have already confirmed one of those preparation dates: a June 8 friendly against Peru in Puebla, Mexico. ### Where did Marc Pubill come up in De la Fuente’s latest comments? RTVE reported on May 12 that De la Fuente was speaking about Spain’s pre-list and the players still under consideration as injuries and final form are assessed. In that context, RTVE’s sports coverage said Marc Pubill was among the names raised as a possible debutant while Spain finalizes its World Cup plans. (rtve.es) De la Fuente said on May 12 that Spain’s staff had been working on the squad for “muchísimos meses” and that the final selection was being built around versatility and multiple game scenarios. He also said several extra players would join the start of camp before leaving after the June 4 match against Iraq. (rtve.es) ### How much room is there for late changes to Spain’s squad? De la Fuente said on May 12 that Spain would take 26 players to the World Cup and three goalkeepers from a broader pre-list sent to FIFA. He also said injuries were the main concern at this stage, adding that minor setbacks now are harder to recover from because of the short time before the tournament. (rtve.es) The coach told RTVE that some additional players would help at the start of the concentration and then depart after the June 4 game against Iraq. That structure leaves space for players outside the core group to train with the squad and make a final impression before the definitive list is settled. That inference is based on De la Fuente’s description of the camp plan and the June 4 cutoff he gave RTVE. (rtve.es) ### What exactly is the Peru match in Puebla? The Royal Spanish Football Federation said on March 26 that Spain will face Peru on June 8 at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla. The federation described it as Spain’s last preparation match after arriving in the Americas and seven days before the team’s World Cup debut. (rtve.es) The federation said the Cuauhtémoc has a capacity of 51,726 and previously hosted World Cup matches in 1970 and 1986. It also said Spain and Peru have met three times before, with Spain winning all three, most recently a 2-1 victory in Huelva on May 31, 2008. (rfef.es) ### Why is Puebla part of Spain’s World Cup build-up? RFEF said the Puebla match is part of Spain’s route into a World Cup that will be played in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The federation said Rafael Louzán, president of the RFEF, would travel to Mexico for the official presentation of the game with Puebla governor Alejandro Armenta Mier. (rfef.es) RTVE had already framed Spain’s March and spring fixtures as World Cup preparation rather than ordinary friendlies. On March 26, De la Fuente said before a match against Serbia that “ya estamos jugando el Mundial,” describing the run-in as part of the tournament build-up. (rfef.es) ### What comes next for Spain before the tournament starts? June 4 is the next key internal checkpoint in De la Fuente’s planning because he said the extra players helping at camp would leave after Spain’s match against Iraq. June 8 is the final confirmed public test, when Spain play Peru at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla. The World Cup then opens on June 11, according to RTVE’s tournament coverage. (rtve.es 1) (rtve.es 2)