Spain won the Nations League in 2023. They won the European Championship in 2024. They won Olympic gold in Paris. And yet, the last time this team made it past the round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa — the year Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time winner in Johannesburg gave La Roja its one and only men’s world title.
Three World Cup tournaments. Three last-16 exits. At some point, the résumé you build between World Cups must show up at the tournament itself. This summer, with the best squad Luis De la Fuente has had at his disposal, Spain has no excuses.
Here are my takeaways.
Lamine Yamal will play at the World Cup. The question is when. (Photo by Ahmad Mora – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Yamal has been Spain’s marvel since his breakthrough as a 16-year-old at Euro 2024, adding two La Liga titles with Barcelona in the process. Now he arrives at his first World Cup carrying a hamstring injury into a five-week tournament. He is very much expected to be available for the start of the competition, having already made significant progress in his recovery.
The question isn’t whether he’ll get there, it’s whether De la Fuente is disciplined enough to manage him correctly once he does. You cannot play Yamal at 60% through the group stage and expect him to still be at full capacity in the knockouts. If Spain is going deep—and they should be — this team is going to need the real version of him when it actually matters.
Plenty of Blaugrana on Spain’s squad, but no Bernabéu representation. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Add on talents – such as Álex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Gavi (Barcelona), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), and Arsenal duo Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino – and and you have seven midfielders of genuine international quality. No other nation at this tournament can boast this level of quality and depth in this department.
Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams will be on injury watch. (Photo by Ahmad Mora – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
