Barcelona academy starlet in line for national team debut despite missing out on World Cup squad | OneFootball

Marc Bernal may have missed out on Spain’s final World Cup squad, but the Barcelona midfielder could still have an important reason to celebrate before the tournament gets underway.

According to SPORT, the highly-rated academy talent is in contention to make his senior debut for Spain when Luis de la Fuente’s side face Iraq in a friendly match before departing for the World Cup.

While Bernal was not included among the 26 players selected for the tournament itself, he has remained involved in preparations after being called up as one of several support players helping the national team complete its training sessions ahead of the competition.

For a player who has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the past year, a first appearance for La Roja would represent another significant milestone in his development.

Bernal set for his big moment

Bernal could debut for Spain this week. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Spain’s coaching staff have called up nine support players to assist preparations before the squad travels to the Americas for the World Cup.

Bernal is among that group and has spent the opening days of camp training alongside the senior internationals. 

With several first-team players either managing fitness issues or arriving late following club commitments, there is a genuine possibility that some of the support players will receive minutes in the upcoming friendly.

That situation could open the door for Bernal to feature at the Estadio Riazor when Spain face Iraq on Thursday.

A huge achievement

Bernal has impressed throughout the training camp and is expected to receive playing time before the squad breaks for the summer.

Bernal is not in the World Cup squad. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

However, it must be noted that although Bernal has trained with the national team, he was not included in Spain’s preliminary list of 55 players submitted before the final squad announcement. 

That list effectively serves as the pool from which replacements can be selected if injuries occur.

As a result, even if a member of the current squad were forced to withdraw, Bernal would not be eligible to take their place because he was not part of the original submission.

While missing out on the World Cup will undoubtedly be disappointing, making a senior international debut would still provide a fitting conclusion to an excellent season.