Morata recounts the behind-the-scenes of his World Cup exclusion and the secret behind accepting De la Fuente's decision
Morata admits what he had been hoping for
Álvaro Morata has spoken for the first time about coach Luis de la Fuente's decision not to call him up to the Spain squad that was crowned 2026 World Cup champions, on the sidelines of his recent move to the ranks of Leganés, who compete in the Spanish second division.
The Spanish striker sat down with the programme "El Larguero" to discuss La Roja's World Cup triumph, delivered by the same team-mates alongside whom he had lifted Euro 2024. Far from resenting his absence from that historic moment, the former Real Madrid, Milan and Juventus forward said he fully understood his manager's thinking.
"I dearly wished to be at the World Cup," Morata began, according to ESPN. "But I travelled to New York as if I were part of the win, because I saw many of the players who began their international careers with me. You can think about what might have happened had the year been different, but there is no use in that."
The 33-year-old added: "We are all human, and in the end there remains a part of you that hopes for a call-up, hope is always there. I believe I could have contributed to the group and created a good dynamic, but things were easier for the coach in my absence. Imagine starting the World Cup with everyone asking what I am doing there, it was better to avoid that noise."
Delight ran through his verdict on how his team-mates performed in the tournament held across the United States, Mexico and Canada: "Borja Iglesias and the rest of the strikers deserved to be there too. I have always spoken about Mikel Oyarzabal's level, just like Ferran Torres; he scored the goal I wished I had scored myself, and I was very happy for him."
He also shared a joke with De la Fuente over the moment the coach broke the news before the tournament. "I think it was even before the announcement of the preliminary squad," Morata said. "I told him I completely understood and wished them all the luck in the world. The only thing is that he did not keep his promise to me, because he said that if he won the tournament he would come out riding on a horse with the trophy in his hand, but he still has time to do that."
He closed by weighing up his decision to join Leganés this season, revealing he had turned down offers from clubs currently in the Champions League: "It has been a long time since I enjoyed myself like this. Scoring 20 or 30 goals would not have changed my life, but achieving promotion to La Liga with this team just might."
