Little remains at stake in this Puerto Rico World Cup more than honor on the way to the World Cup event in September 2026. Fate wanted Spain and the United States closed the party in the first big clash against the world ‘bogeyman’ of this sport for many of the players of Méndez’s team (on Tuesday at 10 p.m. live on Teledeporte and RTVE Play).
Furthermore, after losing to Italy, the first high-profile rival in this World Cup, the national team will seek to finish with better feelings after a disastrous match, in which they were close to 30 losses.
The previous generation managed to meet them in an Olympic final in Rio 2016 that ended with a resounding 101-72. Of those 24 players, no one is left, neither the Taurasi or Tina Charles who dominated on the other side of the Atlantic, nor the Marta Xargay or Silvia Domínguez who were the compass of the team for so many years. Now it is the turn of the future and to come up and talk about the duel of Caitlin Clark vs. Iyana Martín or Angel Reese vs. Awa Fam.
United States, a lot of class, ‘little chemistry’
Four names that are best understood in pairs. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been ‘rivals’ since collegeis the big face to face right now in the WNBA and this tournament is the first days sharing a team after so many ‘fights’ on the court. For now, their rivalry continues to cause people to talk but on the track Clark is the leading scorer of the team and Reese the leader in rebounds.
On the national side, Martín and Fam have been sharing the team summer after summer since they were teenagersthey are great friends and that shows on the track, flowing as if they were one. Because if Spain can have something that the Americans, clearly technically superior, do not have, it is the term ‘Family’.
An inexhaustible talent
Every year in the WNBA a new talent comes out. The Copper, Gray or Plum are joined by players like Bueckers, Iriafen, or the aforementioned Clark and Reeseall of them under 25 years old and with many seasons of international career ahead of them. For this tournament the United States has not even brought all its stars, with A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewartthree of the best in the world, out for this tournament. The United States arrived in Puerto Rico without any pressure, since it was classified as the American champion.
Spain’s path to return to the elite is already done by qualifying for the World Cup. But without a doubt for Méndez’s team, this challenge can only serve to grow against the best team on the planet, whose The worst victory so far has been a +34 against Italy (93-59). So far, the Spanish team has shown a brave, fast and effective game that no one has been able to counter.
Now it is even more difficult, verifying after the tough tests in Eurobasket 2025 against France and Belgium that this team is prepared to get on a world podium after eight years away from it.
