Reports suggest Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are among the names being managed carefully, with Mikel Merino and Fabian Ruiz also part of the wider fitness conversation.
That approach makes sense in one respect. Spain are at their best when their wide players stretch the pitch and their midfield controls tempo. If those pieces are only partially available, De la Fuente may need a more measured version of his preferred side before the group fully settles.
There is a cost to this gamble. International football offers little training time, and rhythm matters almost as much as reputation. A player returning from a layoff may still influence moments, but tournaments are often decided by sharpness, timing and repeat intensity.
De la Fuente acknowledged that tension in the report. “The information we have is that they will all be ready for the first or the second match,” he said. That sounds less like a promise and more like a plan built around phases rather than one all-in selection call.
The clearest theme is trust. “I do not look at the clubs, these are national team players,” De la Fuente said, according to the report. “The only thing I want is for them to be proud of representing the national team.”
That stance will be tested quickly. Cape Verde may be the opener, but the bigger question is whether Spain can reach their best level by the time the group tightens and the knockout pressure starts to bite. The next storyline to watch is simple: who is merely available on June 15, and who is truly ready.