{"id":1040,"date":"2026-04-02T00:22:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T00:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/?p=1040"},"modified":"2026-04-02T00:22:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T00:22:31","slug":"spain-heads-to-the-world-cup-with-many-certainties-and-some-doubts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/?p=1040","title":{"rendered":"Spain heads to the World Cup with many certainties and some doubts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>There is nothing left; On the horizon is the most important event in world football and the Spanish team has put an end to its two dress rehearsals in the friendlies it played against Serbia and Egypt, the last tests on Spanish territory before heading to next summer&#8217;s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.<\/p>\n<p>The sensations that La Roja has left are good in general terms, although the great souffle of favorite after <strong>the comfortable victory against Serbia (3-0) <\/strong>has been lowered after<strong> 0-0 against the African team<\/strong> this Tuesday at the RCDE Stadium.<\/p>\n<p>They have been two duels without any significance in terms of football, but they have served for Luis de la Fuente to configure the list of the 26 men who will head to the World Cup event. In the call that was announced ten days ago, <strong>the coach introduced new faces<\/strong> and heavyweights were left out of the locker room that lifted the European Cup two years ago in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>The national coach surprised with four new faces on the penultimate list of 27 players.<strong> Christian Mosquera<\/strong>claimed by Colombia, <strong>Ander Barrenetxea<\/strong>, <strong>Victor Mu\u00f1oz<\/strong> y <strong>Joan Garcia<\/strong>who arrived as Spain&#8217;s fourth goalkeeper along with Unai Sim\u00f3n, David Raya and \u00c1lex Remiro.<\/p>\n<p>Luis de la Fuente, questioned in the press conference after the call for the call-up of the FC Barcelona goalkeeper, responded that &#8220;now was the right time.&#8221; A moment that did not come in the duel against Serbia was the player who was left without a number.<\/p>\n<div class=\"section\">\n<h2 class=\"ladillo\">De la Fuente has no doubts in goal<\/h2>\n<p>A gesture with which the coach wanted to send a clear message, the arrival of Joan Garc\u00eda to La Roja was not going to mean changes nor was it going to generate controversies <strong>with his starting goalkeeper, Unai Sim\u00f3n<\/strong>who played from the start against the Balkan team.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, there were few experiments in that starting eleven proposed by the coach, in what could perfectly have been the starting line-up for the World Cup debut that will have <strong>Spain on June 15 against Cape Verde<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to a goal occupied by Athletic&#8217;s goal and the undisputed starter with De la Fuente, the central positions went to <strong>Cubarsi and Laporte<\/strong>the couple that aims to be the starter in the World Cup. The left back has his own name, Cucurella, who has established himself in the national team and has established himself as one of the best in the world in his position.<\/p>\n<p>The right back was given against Serbia to Llorente, a versatile player who is useful for other tasks. That position will be more disputed, since Pedro Porro is also running as a starter, although it seems that it will depend on the type of team in front of him and the position is shaping up to be one of those that will be rotated the most. <\/p>\n<p>Precisely, the owner of that position in the recent past, <strong>Dani Carvajal, is not part of the plans<\/strong> of the selector. The Real Madrid full-back barely has any minutes in his club, under the command of \u00c1lvaro Arbeloa, which is making his presence on the final list very complicated, in addition to the fact that, if he does enter, it will be very difficult for him to be a starter due to the lack of filming that Legan\u00e9s is having since his serious knee injury at the beginning of last season. Nor does it make the situation any easier that he is a 34-year-old veteran.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section\">\n<h2 class=\"ladillo\">Rodri recovers his role<\/h2>\n<p>Unlike the Madrid player, the one who has re-entered Haro&#8217;s coach&#8217;s plans is <strong>Rodrigo Hernandez<\/strong>who like his teammate, suffered a serious knee injury last season, but unlike Carvajal, he has been gradually entering the plans of Guardiola&#8217;s City, where he has once again become the reference he was before his injury. <\/p>\n<p>With this call, De la Fuente has confirmed that <strong>The Spanish &#8216;Ballon d&#8217;Or&#8217; will be one of the undisputed headlines<\/strong> in the center of the field next to the &#8216;brain&#8217; of this team, Pedri. The canary is, without a doubt, an indisputable player in every game. His superior quality and vision of the game make him a footballer who makes a difference.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"incluBox size_100 C\">\n<p>\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t<meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Rodri Hern\u00e1dez vuelve a ser importante en la selecci\u00f3n.\"\/><br \/>\n<meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"Rodri Hern\u00e1dez vuelve a ser importante en la selecci\u00f3n.\"\/><br \/>\n<meta itemprop=\"author\" content=\"EFE\"\/><br \/>\n<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/img.rtve.es\/i\/rodri-hernadez-vuelve-a-ser-importante-seleccion_01775040420803.jpg\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/span><figcaption>\n<p>Rodri Hern\u00e1dez is once again important in the national team. <span class=\"signs\"><em>EFE<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And another one that is not in question, even though he missed the last calls due to pubalgia, is <strong>Lamine Yamal<\/strong>franchise player both in Barcelona and in the national team, at 18 years old, he will turn 19 in the World Cup if things go well for Spain, as already happened at Euro 2024. <\/p>\n<p>With the right end covered with the Catalan pearl, doubts extend to the left, where <strong>Nico Williams was owner and lord<\/strong> until the pubalgia this season, which is preventing him from having continuity and good performance in Athletic. The Basque footballer has not been included in a call-up since last September, for the first World Cup qualifying matches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section\">\n<h2 class=\"ladillo\">V\u00edctor Mu\u00f1oz, the great discovery that points to the World Cup<\/h2>\n<p>In his place, Baena was chosen against Serbia to take his place. He also made his debut that same day at the Estadio de la Cer\u00e1mica <strong>V\u00edctor Mu\u00f1oz, one of the sensations of the League<\/strong> and that he has earned De la Fuente&#8217;s call. The player scored a goal and showed very good attitudes towards the final call, with a versatility in the attack that makes him differential. He can enter from the left, from the right, play as a midfielder and assume the role of scorer with guarantees.<\/p>\n<p>Precisely, the figure of the midfielder, with another of the regulars injured, <strong>Mikel Merino<\/strong>it seems that he is beginning to have another name of his own, that of Ferm\u00edn. The Barcelona player is having a great season and is settling into Flick&#8217;s &#8216;eleven&#8217;, although it is another of the positions where there could be more alternation in the World Cup. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"incluBox size_100 C\">\n<p>\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t<meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"V\u00edctor Mu\u00f1oz anot\u00f3 en su debut con Espa\u00f1a en el duelo ante Serbia.\"\/><br \/>\n<meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"V\u00edctor Mu\u00f1oz anot\u00f3 en su debut con Espa\u00f1a en el duelo ante Serbia.\"\/><br \/>\n<meta itemprop=\"author\" content=\"EFE\"\/><br \/>\n<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/img.rtve.es\/i\/victor-munoz-anoto-su-debut-con-espana-duelo-ante-serbia_01775040553366.jpg\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/span><figcaption>\n<p>V\u00edctor Mu\u00f1oz scored on his debut for Spain in the duel against Serbia. <span class=\"signs\"><em>EFE<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In addition to the absence of Mikel Merino, the absence of Fabi\u00e1n stands out, a great starter with PSG who has not been part of Luis de la Fuente&#8217;s plans in recent times due to physical problems, but like Nico, he has a lot of chances to be on the final list. Another guarantor of this position is Dani Olmo, the eternal substitute who serves to liven up Spain&#8217;s game in the second half, the same role he has this season for Bar\u00e7a.<\/p>\n<p>Where there is no doubt is in the person in charge of scoring the goals. <strong>Oyarzabal has become, on its own merits<\/strong>in Spain&#8217;s starting striker, after increasing call by call, until taking the position from Morata who has a very difficult time being in the World Cup.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section\">\n<h2 class=\"ladillo\">The blessed problem of Luis de la Fuente<\/h2>\n<p>In the match against Egypt, the Spanish coach showed that he has a blessed problem. <strong>You could line up up to three different teams<\/strong> and all three would be competitive. In goal he decided to start David Raya, in another demonstration that Joan Garc\u00eda counts for him, but that it will not be a point of contention within the concentration.<\/p>\n<p>The Bar\u00e7a goalkeeper,<strong> Now yes, he finally debuted with La Roja<\/strong>by occupying the goal in the second half. The center of the defense went to an unprecedented pairing, the one formed by Huijsen and the also debutant Mosquera, the latter left a very good feeling and showed his physical power in set-piece actions.<\/p>\n<p>The right side went to Pedro Porro and the left side to Grimaldo. The midfield was also new, with Fornals and Carlos Soler leading the team. Barrenetxea made his debut on the left wing, the midfielder went to Dani Olmo and the lead went to Ferran. Just repeated from start <strong>with the undisputed Lamine Yamal<\/strong>. In the second half, Yeremi Pino, Borja Iglesias and, again, V\u00edctor Mu\u00f1oz also had their minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Although the match against Egypt, a team that will be in the World Cup, did not leave any great football moments and even created some doubt regarding the team&#8217;s effectiveness, it served as a good test bed to evaluate the alternatives and how to use them when things get complicated in the <strong>World Cup next summer. The countdown has begun.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is nothing left; On the horizon is the most important event in world football<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1041,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/razak.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}