No one, not even the most skeptical of Spanish supporters, anticipated such a disastrous start: Spain, touted as one of the top favorites for the title at the 2026 World Cup, stumbled dramatically against Cape Verde, managing only a goalless draw and putting their group stage campaign immediately under pressure. The notable absentee from the starting eleven was Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old rising star, whose absence proved costly for Luis de la Fuente, who only brought the prodigy on 19 minutes from the end.
The meeting took place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, on a night when a clear dominance by the Spaniards over the modest Cape Verde was expected. Luis de la Fuente chose to rest Yamal, who is still recovering from a serious muscle injury suffered in April, but this decision proved fatal. Spain, which led all statistical indicators, recorded a total of 27 shots—only 15 of which were inside the area and 12 completely off-target. On the opposite side, the wall was named Vozinha: the Cape Verdean goalkeeper, at an impressive 40 years old, was the hero of the night, denying seven clear opportunities to the Spaniards, including a monumental save from a header by Oyarzabal after a shot from Ferran Torres hit the post.
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The expectations were high to see how Spain would confirm its favoritism at the start of Group H, but the team displayed a tremendous offensive ineffectiveness and seemed to underestimate the resilience of the African side. The goalless draw awarded only one point to each team, leaving De la Fuente’s squad needing to win in the next round to avoid jeopardizing their qualification. “We have to acknowledge that we fell short of expectations. We lacked effectiveness — and perhaps creativity,” admitted the Spanish coach, minutes after the final whistle, visibly dissatisfied with his team’s performance.
The most anticipated moment of the match occurred in the 71st minute when [Lamine Yamal](https://apitofinal.pt/internacional/mbappe-e-kane-lideram-corrida-a-bota-de-ouro-no-mundial-2026/) finally stepped onto the pitch. The young Barcelona prodigy, who turns 19 in July, immediately brought a different energy to the Spanish attack, recording an expected assists rate of 0.19 despite his limited time on the field. “I felt good physically, but of course, I wanted to have more time to help the team,” Yamal stated after the match. His entry coincided with Spain’s best phase, but Vozinha kept the goal intact, making world-class saves and ensuring the first point in history for [Cape Verde](https://apitofinal.pt/internacional/defesa-da-arabia-saudita-brilha-em-empate-frente-ao-uruguai-no-mundial-2026/) in a World Cup.
The draw places Spain in a delicate position, forcing the team to quickly rectify their lack of accuracy against [Saudi Arabia](https://apitofinal.pt/internacional/golo-de-al-amri-coloca-arabia-saudita-a-vencer-o-uruguai-ao-intervalo/), their opponent on Sunday. The Spanish coach knows they cannot afford to waste so many opportunities again, and all indications suggest that Yamal’s starting position will now be inevitable. “We need to be more incisive and take advantage of the talent of our best players from the start,” De la Fuente emphasized, already hinting at the changes to come.
For Cape Verde, this result is historic and places the African team on the path of potential outsiders in this World Cup. Vozinha, the veteran goalkeeper, has immediately become one of the stars of the tournament, with a performance that has left the international press in awe. “We knew that no one believed in us, but we showed that we can compete with the best,” declared the goalkeeper, beaming with pride at his World Cup debut.
The pressure is now entirely on Spain, which urgently needs to win to avoid a crisis scenario just in the second round. The full integration of Lamine Yamal into the starting eleven is seen as the logical step to restore creativity and effectiveness to the attack. The coming days promise to be filled with significant agitation in the press and behind the scenes of ‘La Roja’, with fans and critics demanding more — and better. Spain’s reaction to the first scare of the World Cup will be crucial in understanding whether this team truly has the makings of champions.
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