MADRID, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Spain coach Julien Lopetegui gave few surprises when he named the Spanish squad of 23 players for this summer's World Cup on Monday.
Lopetegui had commented in interviews a week before giving his squad that he was unlikely to call up any players who had not played for Spain during the season and that was the case with no uncapped players included in the squad.
Perhaps the only surprise is the absence of Chelsea's former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, who had scored five goals in five appearances for Spain during 2017 and has had 13 goals in 23 appearances for his country.
Other players to miss out are Atletico Madrid winger Vitolo and Chelsea left back Marcos Alonso, who had been included in Lopetegui's last squad in May of this year.
When asked about their absences, Lopetegui said there was "no negative reason for their absences, but others have convinced us more."
The squad will convene on Monday to begin preparations for the World Cup, with the exception of the five Real Madrid players, who will play in the Champions League final two days earlier and have been given an extra week's holiday.
Lopetegui said that on Tuesday he will give a list of seven young players, "under-21, more or less," who will participate in the first training sessions and possibly the preparation game against Switzerland and Tunisia on June 3 and June 9.
Spain have been drawn in Group B and will play Portugal, Iran and Morocco, with their first game against the Portuguese in Sochi on June 15.
Following is the full squad:
Goalkeepers: David de Gea, Pepe Reina, Kepa Arrizabalaga
Defenders: Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Nacho Fernandez, Alvaro Odriozola, Cesar Azpilicueta, Nacho Monreal.
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Isco, Koke, Saul Niguez, Thiago Alcantara,
Forwards: Rodrigo Moreno, Iago Aspas, Diego Costa, Lucas Vazquez, Marco Asensio.
