Real Madrid players face mass international call-ups

Sixteen Real Madrid players have been called up for the FIFA international window, leaving manager Jose Mourinho with only seven first-team players available at Valdebebas.

In goal, Thibaut Courtois opted out of the Nations League to focus on recovery, while Andrey Lunin remains available. Defensive departures include players joining Spain, such as Marc Cucurella and Dean Huijsen. England will call up Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham, while France, under new manager Zinedine Zidane, will feature Konaté, Camavinga, and Mbappé. Notably, Aurélien Tchouaméni was excluded from the French squad by mutual agreement to allow him to complete necessary preseason training following a previous injury.

Psychological analysis suggests Mourinho may face the ‘paradox of choice’ due to the squad's depth. Having numerous high-quality players capable of starting may complicate decision-making and lead to dissatisfaction or perceived injustices when selecting lineups, as seen with players like Diomande, Bernardo Silva, or Carlos Espí being left on the bench.