Chus Mateo Unveils Revolutionary Squad to Kick Off New Era for Spanish Basketball

Spain's national team is set to begin its 2027 World Cup qualification campaign with a dramatically new-look roster under new head coach Chus Mateo.

Just weeks after the departure of long-serving coach Sergio Scariolo marked the end of an era for Spanish basketball, the Chus Mateo era officially began this Tuesday. The new head coach announced his first squad for the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying windows.

The announcement was made in Tenerife, where Spain will play its second qualifier against Georgia. Mateo was joined by Spanish Basketball Federation President Elisa Aguilar and Lope Domingo Alonso, Vice President of the Cabildo of Tenerife.

The squad list features a host of new faces compared to Scariolo's final selections. This is partly due to the change in leadership but largely driven by the unavailability of key players from the EuroLeague and NBA for these international windows. Spain will open its qualifying campaign on the road against Denmark in Farum (Thursday, Nov 27, 6:30 PM) before hosting Georgia in Tenerife (Sunday, Nov 30, 7:45 PM). Ukraine is the fourth team in their group.

Mateo's Inaugural 16-Man Roster

For the first two qualifying matches, Mateo has selected the following 14 players, plus two invited training players:

Guards: Alberto Díaz (Unicaja), Álvaro Cárdenas (Peristeri, Greece), Lluis Costa (Covirán Granada), Jaime Fernández (La Laguna Tenerife), Francis Alonso (Río Breogán), Pep Busquets (Bàsquet Girona) Forwards: Santi Yusta (Casademont Zaragoza), Alex Reyes (BAXI Manresa), Oriol Paulí (Hiopos Lleida), Dani Díez (San Pablo Burgos), Miquel Salvó (Dreamland Gran Canaria) Centers: Izan Almansa (Real Madrid), Great Osobor (Basket Science City Jena, Germany), Fran Guerra (La Laguna Tenerife)

Additionally, Miguel González (Casademont Zaragoza) and Miguel Allen (Joventut) will join the squad as invited players. Mateo will need to select 12 active players for each of the two games from this group.

Among the 14 core players, two could make their senior international debuts: Lluis Costa and Great Osobor. Unicaja's Alberto Díaz is the most experienced player on the roster with 51 caps and will serve as captain. He is followed by Jaime Fernández (44 caps) and Santi Yusta (25 caps), who is currently one of the most in-form Spanish players in the Liga Endesa.

The squad also features several notable inclusions. Álvaro Cárdenas earns a call-up after a strong season in the Greek league. The presence of top prospects like Great Osobor and Izan Almansa signals a focus on the next generation, who are expected to be central figures in the national team's future under Mateo.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Mateo cannot call upon players from the EuroLeague (with the exception of Almansa, whose club Real Madrid granted him permission), the NBA (like Hugo González and Santi Aldama), the G League (Eli Ndiaye), or the NCAA (Aday Mara, Mario Saint-Supery, and Baba Miller). These absences mean that Santi Yusta is the only surviving member from the last EuroBasket squad, making this selection a near-total revolution.

Mateo: "The Door is Open for Ricky"

Following the squad announcement, Chus Mateo addressed the media. "First, I want to highlight the high level of our domestic clubs. There are 14 Liga Endesa clubs represented here, and I want to praise the work they do with these players," he said. "The players have shown extraordinary commitment every time I've spoken with them."

The new coach outlined his immediate strategy: "We don't have much time, so I want to be very practical. I want the players to play as they do for their clubs and to express themselves as the great players they are."

Regarding the absences of Ricky Rubio and Tyson Pérez, Mateo explained, "Both were considered, and we have spoken with both of them. Ricky has shown his willingness to join for a future window, but this one perhaps came too soon. When he decides to return to the national team, with the incredible level he is showing, the door will be wide open. It's the same with Tyson; we considered him, but he was not available for selection, and I didn't want to go against a personal decision."

Mateo also clarified his decision not to call up EuroLeague players for just the second game. "We could have called up EuroLeague players for the Sunday game, but it didn't seem right to call one group for Thursday and another for Sunday," he stated. "They are fantastic players, but I am trying to build an atmosphere, and keeping the squad consistent helps. This is the best team I can have right now."

Elisa Aguilar, President of the Spanish Basketball Federation, officially marked the start of a new chapter for the national team. "This is a day of firsts, as new head coach Chus Mateo unveils his first squad list for the upcoming qualification games," she announced.

Aguilar expressed her full confidence in the new leadership. "I am convinced that with him, we will qualify for the World Cup and compete at the top, which is where I believe we deserve to be. Today, we can truly say that a new era for Spanish basketball has begun."

The event also featured Lope Domingo Afonso, Vice President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, who highlighted the island's strong connection to the sport. "Tenerife once again asserts itself as an island of basketball, and our relationship with the sport is strengthened by the national team," he stated.

Afonso praised the team's ethos, widely known as "La Familia" (The Family). "This team captivates not only with its play but also with its values. For Tenerife, it is a great advantage and a wise decision to join the FEB on its journey, supporting not just the men's team but also the women's and youth squads."