As Spain take on Croatia in their final match of the ongoing international break, manager Luis de la Fuente has announced the starting lineup that will take the field in Split tonight.

And, one Real Madrid players has made it into the side, with Marc Cucurella featuring as the starting left-back for the world champions.

The 28-year-old Los Blancos’ summer signing returns to the La Roja lineup after being rested for their previous UEFA Nations League fixture against Czechia.

As such, this represents his third start of the current international break, with Cucurella having played the full 90 minutes in Spain’s first two matches against England and Croatia.

Meanwhile, there is no place in the starting XI for Cucurella’s Real Madrid teammate Dean Huijsen, with De la Fuente opting for the centre-back pairing of Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte.

The 21-year-old defender has only made one appearance so far in the ongoing international window, starting against Croatia in the reverse fixture.

Carlos Espi, who was drafted into the Spain squad as a replacement for the injured Ferran Torres, is not a part of the matchday squad for the second game in a row, after being left out against Czechia as well.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Confirmed: Real Madrid defender starts for Spain against Croatia" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Match Previews metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

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