Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has laid down the gauntlet for Dani Carvajal after the Real Madrid captain was a surprise omission from the latest La Roja squad. The veteran defender faces a race against time to prove his fitness and form ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with Spain going into the tournament as European champions.The exclusion of Carvajal from Spain's March internationals sent shockwaves through Madrid. Despite his legendary status, the national team boss opted for a fresh look, citing the need for the right-back to reach peak physical condition before the flight to North America.The decision reflects a shift in priority for the European champions, who are balancing loyalty to their Euro 2024 winners with the necessity of match sharpness. Carvajal, along with Alvaro Morata, now finds himself on the outside looking in during the final preparation window before the summer showpiece.De la Fuente was transparent about what the pair must do to regain their spots, emphasising that past glories do not guaranteed a place in the current setup. He noted that the door is far from closed, provided they can replicate the consistency that defined their previous campaigns."With Carvajal… everyone knows what they have to do at home and we hope he’ll be even better so he can be with us; he’s a very important player," De la Fuente told Diario AS. "They need to keep working as they are. Both Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Morata have to keep working, and that’s how they understand football, so they can demonstrate it on the pitch."The coach further highlighted the standard required for a recall, adding: "Hopefully, Dani will recover the form he showed at the Euros… They need to play, get back to their usual level, and then they’ll be with us."While the veteran stars missed out, Barcelona’s Joan Garcia earned a shock call-up, expanding the goalkeeping department to four players. De la Fuente dismissed claims that this would unsettle established names like Unai Simon and David Raya, insisting that Garcia’s inclusion was a tactical move for the long-term tournament cycle."Rules are made to be broken," he added. "He’s a great goalkeeper, we didn’t just discover that; he’s been an under-21 international for five years. He can contribute to a positive team dynamic, a strong work ethic, teamwork, and the ability to push others… Today we felt it was the right time for him to join us. The best news is that we have so many players to choose from."I don’t understand it. It’s great news that we’re having trouble choosing players. There’s no debate about it; you all are creating that. Zero pressure, and we’re bringing in what we need to bring in. We’ll always be professional and honest. They’re saying, ‘What a problem for De la Fuente now, having to call up Joan García’… Can anyone believe I would have been happy about Joan García’s injury, as some are saying? I haven’t been any braver for bringing in three or four players; we brought them in because it was the most appropriate thing to do."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingSpain had been hoping to test themselves against Argentina in the now-cancelled Finalissima, a fixture De la Fuente viewed as vital preparation for the summer. With key players like Nico Williams currently sidelined and fitness doubts surrounding Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Merino, these final March friendlies have taken on even greater importance for the European champions.Regarding the missed opportunity against the world champions, De la Fuente said: "The Finalissima was a match to win a title, but we were looking beyond that, preparing for the World Cup. It’s true that we wanted to play it and win it so we could enjoy it with the players. We haven’t been together since November, this window was very important for us, to regain our form, to see new players"