Spain begin their World Cup campaign on Monday 15 June against Cape Verde, with expectations high for Luis de la Fuente’s European champions.
Kick-off and TV
The match kicks off at 6pm Spanish time. It will be shown live in Spain on La 1 and DAZN, and many bars across the Balearics will be showing it on big screens.
Yamal and Williams on the bench
The headline team news is that Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams will not start. De la Fuente confirmed that both could come on during the game, but he has opted for a different front line for the opener.
- Up front: Mikel Oyarzabal leads the attack.
- Wide: Ferran Torres and Álex Baena are expected to play on the flanks.
- The coach is looking for balance between experience and youth in midfield, and solidity at the back.
Players to watch
Mikel Oyarzabal is Spain’s main goal threat and the man trusted to break down a well-organised defence.
Ferran Torres brings pace and movement on the right, while Álex Baena offers energy and dangerous deliveries from the left.
For Cape Verde, much depends on Livramento, a key link between midfield and attack, and on a compact defence that will try to frustrate Spain and hit them on the break.
The opponents
Cape Verde, an Atlantic archipelago of just over half a million people, are playing at their first World Cup. They are not expected to cause an upset, but their disciplined qualifying campaign showed they are difficult to break down.
Spain’s ambitions
After winning Euro 2024, Spain arrive among the favourites for the tournament. The decision to start Yamal and Williams on the bench is likely to be one of the talking points of the night — particularly if Spain struggle to break through.
