Barcelona star sets out World Cup No.9 mission with Spain

Feargal Brennan

Barcelona star sets out World Cup No.9 mission with Spain image

Spain's push for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification will be helped in no small part by their vital Barcelona contingent.

In shades of their dominance from 2008 to 2012, Luis de la Fuente's Spain have Barcelona stars dotted through the squad with Pedri and Lamine Yamal the two eye-catching names.

La Roja have kicked off their road to qualification in emphatic style with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria followed by a 6-0 demolition of Turkey in Konya.

De la Fuente named an unchanged starting XI for both games with Mikel Oyarzabal leading the Spain attack flanked by Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.

Pedri bagged two superb goals in Turkey, with Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino racking up a hat trick, before La Blaugrana forward Ferran Torres scored the sixth of the bench.

Despite naming captain Alvaro Morata in his squad, De la Fuente has used him sparingly, with Oyarzabal now first-choice - followed by Torres.

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Torres has enjoyed a strong start to the club season, with two La Liga goals from three starts, as he once again covers for the injured Robert Lewandowski.

He ended 2024/25 with a career-best 19 goals in all competitions, with a vital role in the run-in, following a previous injury setback for Lewandowski.

Ferran Torres

The former Manchester City attacker has previously backed himself to replace the Poland veteran in the long-term in Catalonia and he is keen to battle Oyarzabal for a starting spot with Spain.

"It's always great to play for the national team, to score and help the team. We played an exceptional game from the first minute to the 90th in Turkey. That's the path we have to follow," as per Mundo Deportivo.

"I've always said one of my career goals is to be among Spain's top scorers. I have to keep dreaming and scoring."

A goal in Turkey brings Torres up to 22 for the national team, and 10th in the Spain all-time list, with only Morata ahead of him in the current squad.

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Feargal Brennan

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.