Ranked only behind France and having a teenage prodigy in Lamine Yamal alongside an in-form Nico Williams, we can expect much from La Roja

This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.

Spain are one of the big favourites in North America this summer – and the squad that Luis de la Fuente has picked has only reinforced that. He has a well-balanced and competitive group that believes in the sort of football that has already yielded great success. The European champions are dreaming of stitching a second star above their crest.

Much of the media focus has inevitably fallen on Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, whose imagination, creativity and personality has transformed the Spain frontline into a real force. His partner in crime, Nico Williams, has hit form in the final weeks of the season at Athletic Bilbao. The two wingers were a revelation at Euro 2024, injecting freshness into a team that still dominates the ball. “Do we think we’re favourites? Yes. Can we win the World Cup? Yes. But that doesn’t guarantee anything,” De la Fuente has said.

15 June v Cape Verde, Atlanta (noon local, 5pm BST, 16 June 2am AEST)

21 June v Saudi Arabia, Atlanta (noon local, 5pm BST, 22 June 2am AEST)

26 June v Uruguay, Guadalajara (6pm local, 27 June 1am BST, 27 June 10am AEST)

There is quality right through a squad that will face Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde at the group stage. De la Fuente has a good kind of headache in goal, with the regular No 1, Unai Simón, being pushed hard by David Raya and Joan García, who come into the tournament off the back of excellent seasons with Arsenal and Barcelona respectively. At the back, Eric García has been recalled after becoming one of Barça’s most reliable defenders with and without the ball. The middle of the park continues to be the jewel in the Spain crown with technicians such as Pedri, Gavi and Martín Zubimendi who embody a style of play built on possession and control, not to mention the star power of Rodri and Fabián Ruiz.

Add to that the flair of Lamine Yamal and Williams, plus the goalscoring instinct of Mikel Oyarzabal – a striker who produces in the big moments – backed up by Ferran Torres and Borja Iglesias. Goals shouldn’t be a problem for a team that scored 21 in six qualifiers, winning five and drawing one. De la Fuente has the perfect blend of youth and experience, prodigious talent and maturity, and pure ambition.

Luis de la Fuente has turned Spain into a fiercely competitive and united team. His style of play combines the traditional possession-based game of recent decades with a greater directness and tactical flexibility. The former under-21 coach is known for his communication and man-management skills, creating a healthy and competitive environment within the group. He led La Roja to their third European title in 2024 with some brilliant football and has not been afraid to make some big calls for his World Cup squad this time around, with no Real Madrid players selected for the first time. “I don’t look at whether they come from one club or another. They’re all Spain players,” he said.

Lamine Yamal will be the centre of attention at his first World Cup. The teenager will celebrate his 19th birthday on 13 July, the day before the semi-finals get under way, and yet his immense talent means he will carry the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. Cheeky and creative, the winger plays like he’s just having a kickabout with his mates but has become a natural leader within the national team already. He played a big part in the Euro 2024 triumph and now steps on to the world stage. A muscle problem has affected the end of his season at Barcelona but no one doubts his ability to perform under pressure on the biggest stage.

Víctor Muñoz was the surprise inclusion in Luis de la Fuente’s squad. The 22-year-old winger has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Osasuna after leaving Real Madrid, who still own 50% of his rights. Having clocked 35kph this campaign, he is one of the fastest players in La Liga and makes very dangerous runs in behind. A direct dribbler, Muñoz could make a real difference off the bench for Spain this summer. He scored on his first cap in March, a 3-0 win against Serbia.

Eric García rarely makes the headlines. The former Manchester City player has quietly gone about his business at Barcelona, becoming a key figure for Hansi Flick thanks to his intelligence, positioning and composure when bringing the ball out from the back. The 25-year-old has grown in maturity and is an organiser, often dictating play from centre-back or even midfield. Reliable and consistent, García is now reaping the rewards: this is his first time in the Spain squad since 2022. “Since then I had to work a lot, without making noise, to be better,” he says.

Spain fans often travel to major tournaments in big numbers, pulled along by the team’s attractive style of play and recent success. You sometimes see supporters dressed as bullfighters or waving Spain flags with bulls on them. Although it does not represent the variety and diversity of the country as a whole, they are symbols that accompany the national team and form part of the imagination. Manolo ‘el del bombo’ (the man with the drum) was a constant presence at tournaments and, after his death last year, Spain fans still beat drums in his honour.

Relations between Spain and the US are not good. Pedro Sánchez, the socialist prime minister, has been one of the most outspoken opponents of Donald Trump’s war in Iran and refused to let him use military bases in Spain for attacks. In response Trump said “Spain has been terrible” and threatened to cut off trade. But this conflict will not dampen the enthusiasm of travelling supporters and neither the players or the football federation have commented on the situation. There have, however, been complaints about ticket prices and travel costs, and there are reservations over the US’s continued involvement in Iran and their alliance with Israel in Gaza.

Written by Nadia Tronchoni for El País.

World Cup 2026: Guardian Experts’ Network

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/06/spain-world-cup-2026-team-guide