Spain Held to Shock Goalless Draw by Cape Verde in World Cup Opener

European champions Spain began the 2026 World Cup on Monday, June 15, 2026, with a frustrating 0-0 draw against modest Cape Verde, leaving them with only one point and complicating their path out of the group stage. Spain created several chances but could not break through against standout Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.

Spanish media reacted sharply to coach Luis de la Fuente, with commentator Tomas Roncero blasting Spain's lineup choices and asking, "What was Yamal doing on the bench?" He added, "Enough with the nonsense, the scientists and the presentations," before calling the result "a disaster" and "a hard lesson in humility" from Cape Verde. Roncero urged the team to "come back down to earth" and "be a team again."

Former Barcelona coach Xavi also criticized Spain's missed chances, especially Ferran Torres' failure to score. He said Spain worked hard to create openings but that Torres "had to do better," adding that such moments change matches and that a goal would have made the game easier. Instead, he said, Cape Verde gained belief while Spain came under pressure, warning that if Spain do not win, people will remember the miss rather than possession statistics.

Radio pundit Antonio Romero likewise said he could not believe the result, noting that while nobody expected an easy match, "no one expected something like this." He said Spain played poorly, deserved to win, and that Vozinha "saved everything."