The father of Ansu Fati has blamed his son’s lack of playing time at FC Barcelona for his absence from Spain’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Spain are preparing for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which will take place between 11 June and 19 July, but Fati was not included in the national team selection despite an encouraging season on loan in France.
The forward spent the previous campaign with AS Monaco FC, where he scored 11 goals in 25 league appearances and rebuilt his form after a difficult spell in Spain.
Speaking in comments highlighted by the Spanish newspaper Marca, Fati’s father, Bori, questioned the decision to exclude the player from the World Cup squad.
“He finished the French league season with Monaco at a better level than any other Spanish striker, but the national team did not see it that way.”
The remarks come after months of debate surrounding Fati’s future and his attempts to revive a career that had once established him as one of Spain’s brightest young talents.
Lack of Playing Time at Barcelona Cited
Bori argued that his son’s struggles to secure regular opportunities at Barcelona had directly affected his international prospects.
“If Ansu had played regularly for a long time, he would certainly have returned to the national team, that’s clear, but he came from a difficult period where he wasn’t playing.”
Fati endured a challenging 2024-25 season at Barcelona, where he reportedly experienced what was described as “technical marginalisation”.
The attacker made only three starts in the La Liga during that campaign, a lack of involvement that ultimately contributed to his temporary departure from Camp Nou.
His move to Monaco on loan appeared to revive his confidence and form, with the player rediscovering his attacking effectiveness in the French league.
The improvement in performances led to renewed speculation that he could earn a return to the Spain national football team ahead of the World Cup.
However, the national team coaching staff ultimately decided against including him in the squad for the tournament.
Spain Prepare for Difficult Group Stage
Spain enter the World Cup as one of the tournament’s major European contenders and have been drawn in Group H alongside Saudi Arabia national football team, Uruguay national football team and Cape Verde national football team.
The European side are scheduled to begin their campaign against Cape Verde on 15 June before facing Saudi Arabia on 21 June.
Spain will then conclude the group stage with a potentially decisive encounter against Uruguay on 26 June.
The omission of Fati has nevertheless become one of the notable talking points surrounding Spain’s preparations for the competition.
Career at a Crossroads
Fati’s exclusion highlights the dramatic fluctuations that have marked his career in recent seasons.
Once regarded as one of the leading young talents to emerge from Barcelona’s academy, the forward has struggled with both injuries and limited opportunities at club level.
His productive spell in France appeared to offer signs of recovery, with his performances for Monaco suggesting he was regaining the form that once made him a regular figure in Spain’s plans.
Despite that resurgence, the coaching staff opted to look elsewhere for attacking options ahead of the World Cup.
For Fati, the disappointment of missing the tournament now raises further questions about his long-term future and whether he can re-establish himself at the highest level for both club and country in the years ahead.
