Why Spain’s World Cup Path Now Becomes Tricky After Draw vs. Cape Verde

Cape Verde delivered the biggest shock of the World Cup thus far after its draw against Spain in Atlanta on Monday. I’ve given my kudos to Cape Verde (an archipelago nation off the coast of Africa making its tournament debut), but now let’s focus on La Roja and what’s now at stake after this historically disappointing result from Luis de la Fuente’s team. Spain’s draw now means that in order to top the group, its margin for error has practically been brought to zero. This group features two other stout squads – Uruguay will take on Saudi Arabia to conclude the first matchday of Group H – but trust me when I tell you that De La Fuente will want nothing less than two victories for their remaining fixtures in the group stage. Spain knows that topping the group is extremely important in order to avoid a major, giant obstacle in the knockout stages and Monday’s result gets in the way of this objective. Because any other setbacks could set up an earlier-than-expected date with a very familiar face. If Spain ends up as runner-up, then it has the possibility of facing Lionel Messi Argentina in the Round of 32 (if La Albiceleste tops Group J) and that’s far from ideal. Now, there’s a reminder here that Argentina itself lost the opening match of the World Cup back in 2022, which was coincidentally against Saudi Arabia (Spain’s upcoming opponent, and we all know how that ended.) In addition, back in 2010, when Spain won its first World Cup, it actually lost the first match, a 1-0 loss to Switzerland, and after that, it won every game, which concluded the journey with the trophy. All is not lost, therefore. But Spain knows it has to do better, both in strategy and mentality. It was a passive performance where patience was confused with stagnation. Too many players, from Ferran Torres to Mikel Oyarzabal, were not clinical enough. I also thought the substitutions came too late against Cape Verde so De La Fuente too needs to be more aggressive with his management. If all the eggs are placed in Lamine Yamal’s basket, then Spain will continue to fail. It has to believe in the collective. As mentioned, Spain faces Saudi Arabia on Sunday, before ending the group action against Uruguay next Friday. And I am not sure if a desperate battle against a team managed by Marcelo Bielsa – whose well-earned El Loco nickname comes from his high-pressure style of tactics – is what Spain wants. There’s a lot to do for Spain and there is no doubt it can do it. It is, after all, a magnificent team. But talent is not the question here. This is about application.​Spain can’t slip up again unless it wants to potentially face Argentina in the early knockout rounds.