The months pass, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws ever nearer. This coming summer, a new World Cup edition will be contested, with Lionel Messi's Argentina as the defending champion after winning in Qatar, but with Spain as the clear favorite for the title.

The Spanish national team has played the best football in recent months and is the clearest bet to lift the trophy in the United States. But this does not mean there aren't still many doubts.

Aside from the goalkeeper discussion between Unai Simón and Joan Garcia, which seems set to continue for some time, another major question mark appears at the center-forward position.

And this is where the name of Catalan Marc Guiu appears. Having left Barcelona to succeed at Chelsea, and after a period without prominence, he is now re-emerging as a candidate to play in the World Cup.

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The Spanish national team has a problem with a true offensive reference. Luis de la Fuente relies on Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Mikel Merino... but none of them is a pure No. 9. And without a killer instinct up front, Spain is weaker in major tournaments.

Recall that when major trophies were won, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Spain played with a reference center-forward. Back then, David Villa and Fernando Torres succeeded. Now, however, that is not the case.

And in the search for this classic striker and goal-scorer, Marc Guiu's name has resurfaced in recent hours. Developed at Barcelona, debuting with the first team in 2023, and moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2024.

Since then, few appearances with the London side, but with a strong scoring record. Last season, he played a total of 16 matches (619 minutes) and scored 6 goals, while this season he has already played 13 matches (497 minutes) and scored 3 goals.

His latest standout performance was in the FA Cup, where he started in Chelsea's match against Charlton Athletic and contributed a goal and an assist in the 1-5 victory. And the goal he scored, from nine yards, was from waiting for his moment inside the box and knowing what he had to do in each moment.

This is why there is now starting to be talk of the option of taking Marc Guiu with the Spanish national team. We will have to pay attention to Luis de la Fuente's selection for the next squad call-up, but if the Catalan is already a regular with the U-21s, now might be his turn to play with the senior team.

Guiu, 20, has the physical and technical attributes to become a world-class center-forward. And who knows, his definitive breakthrough could be this very season, culminating in the best possible way and becoming Spain's long-sought striker for the World Cup.

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