Morata out of the World Cup — and he admits he didn't deserve the spot

Spain's fourth all-time top scorer accepts his omission with remarkable maturity — and reveals a candid conversation with Luis de la Fuente

Few players would have the courage to say what Álvaro Morata said: Spain's fourth all-time top scorer publicly admitted he did not deserve a place in the squad for the 2026 World Cup. The statement came on the podcast "El Camino de Mario" and stands out for its remarkable candour.

According to ge.globo.com, the striker revealed that manager Luis de la Fuente contacted him personally before announcing the squad. Morata said he understood the situation without any drama — and explained why: last season he scored just one goal in 30 appearances for Como in Italy, a club he helped secure a place in the Champions League. An injury kept him sidelined for nearly two months during that period. His below-par form, therefore, weighed directly on the decision.

For the World Cup, Morata's absence is significant. He started every match in Spain's Euro 2024 title-winning campaign and featured throughout much of the qualifying cycle. Losing a striker with that kind of pedigree at the most important tournament in the world raises questions about Spain's attacking depth — even if the player himself acknowledges the situation as fair.

Golmetria's model gives Spain an 18.55% probability of lifting the trophy, while the market implies a 15.84% chance for De la Fuente's side — one of the highest figures among all teams in Group H.

Morata also mentioned the frustration of finishing with 37 international goals — one fewer than Fernando Torres, third on the all-time list. He left the door open for a future return. What Spain does with that gap in attack will be one of the stories to follow right up to their World Cup opener.