ATLANTA, Ga. – European champions Spain kicked off their 2024 FIFA World Cup campaign with an underwhelming goalless stalemate against World Cup debutants Cape Verde on Monday, yet manager Luis de la Fuente remains adamant his side is still poised to make a deep run in the tournament.
Playing in front of nearly 70,000 fans at Atlanta Stadium, La Roja struggled to generate meaningful offensive chances against the 67th-ranked underdog, with the absence of a fully fit Lamine Yamal weighing heavily on their attacking output. The 18-year-old Barcelona star, returning from a recent injury, was only deemed fit enough for a second-half substitute appearance, and his introduction immediately injected much-needed energy into Spain’s flat attacking play. Even so, Cape Verde neutralized Yamal’s impact by deploying multiple defenders to mark him whenever he touched the ball, cutting off his space to create danger.
Another of Spain’s high-impact attacking threats, Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao, was also held in reserve until the 87th minute, as the winger has worked through an injury-interrupted club season. De la Fuente acknowledged after the match that his side lacked sharpness and dynamic energy in the opening fixture. “We lacked freshness and precision,” the manager told reporters. He added, “We are completely calm, convinced that there is a long way to go. As we see it, we have seven games left.”
The underwhelming performance echoes painful past disappointments for Spain at the World Cup: the side exited in both 2018 against Russia and 2022 against Morocco, falling on penalties after dominating possession but failing to find the back of the net. Even with the underwhelming start, the result extended Spain’s impressive unbeaten streak across competitive matches to 32, a run that dates back to March 2023. When asked about the streak, de la Fuente downplayed its immediate relevance, joking “Tomorrow I’ll bring up that magic number.”
The manager emphasized that Spain will remain committed to their possession-based playing philosophy, and that once key injured players return to full fitness and sharpness, the side will find its rhythm as the tournament progresses. “They are two game-changing players, but the ones we’ve had on the pitch are too. They bring different qualities to the table,” de la Fuente said of Yamal and Williams. “They will provide new options and the team will continue to grow. What we need to do is find our rhythm and the decisive touch required for this type of competition, which I have no doubt we will acquire.
“Lamine showed exactly what he’s capable of the moment he stepped onto the pitch, forcing the opposition to change their approach, but that was the amount of playing time we felt was right for him,” he continued. “Once we regain our chemistry and competitive edge, the team will be even better.”
Spain will stay in Atlanta for their second Group H fixture against Saudi Arabia this coming Sunday, before wrapping up group stage play against Uruguay in Guadalajara.