Spain, the reigning European champions, began their 2026 World Cup campaign in disappointing fashion, held to a 0-0 draw by tournament debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta. The result evoked memories of Spain's underwhelming performances in prior World Cups, where they were eliminated in the knockout stages after their 2010 triumph.
Coach Luis de la Fuente had boldly claimed that Spain possessed the strongest squad in the tournament, but his team lacked vitality on the pitch. Starlet Lamine Yamal was introduced only in the 66th minute after nearly two months out with a hamstring injury, while Nico Williams came on in the 87th minute. Yet Yamal's presence failed to alter the game's course.
In the first half, Spain dominated possession but created only a handful of genuine chances. In the 39th minute, Marc Cucurella's cross found Ferran Torres, whose header struck the crossbar; Mikel Oyarzabal's follow-up header was saved by goalkeeper Vozinha. Torres tested the keeper again moments later, and in the 45th minute, Aymeric Laporte was denied from a corner.
In the second half, despite Yamal injecting energy into the attack, Mikel Merino's shot and Oyarzabal's header were both thwarted by Cape Verde's outstanding goalkeeper. In the final minutes, Cape Verde nearly produced an upset when Diney Borges headed wide under pressure from Unai Simon.
With this draw, Spain face significant work ahead of their clash with Saudi Arabia on June 21. Cape Verde will next face Uruguay in the following round.
