Spain v Cape Verde Islands, 15 June 2026

Score0-0
RefereeAdham Makhadmeh
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Group H
VenueMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA
Attendance67,640

View Spain v Cape Verde Islands head to head

Kick-off: 12.00pm local . FIFA World Ranking: Spain 2nd, Cape Verde Islands 67th . This was the first-ever meeting at ‘A’ international level. . In the 13th game, this was the first goalless draw at this FIFA World Cup tournament.

0 Spain

Manager: Luis de la Fuente

0 Cape Verde Islands

Manager: Bubista

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Unai Simón
Defender Aymeric Laporte
Defender Pau Cubarsí
Defender/Midfielder Marc Cucurella
Defender/Midfielder Marcos Llorente
Defender/Midfielder Rodri (captain)
Midfielder Fabián Ruiz
Midfielder Gavi
Midfielder Pedri
Midfielder/Forward Ferran Torres
Midfielder/Forward Mikel Oyarzabal

Starting lineup:

Vózinha Goalkeeper
Diney Borges Defender
Sidny Cabral Defender/Midfielder
Kevin Pina Defender/Midfielder
Steven Moreira Defender/Midfielder
Pico Defender/Midfielder
Laros Duarte Midfielder
Jamiro Monteiro Midfielder
Ryan Mendes Midfielder/Forward (captain)
Dailon Livramento Forward
Jovane Cabral Forward

Substitutions:

Mikel Merino for Fabián Ruiz 71
Lamine Yamal for Gavi 71
Dani Olmo for Ferran Torres 81
Nico Williams for Rodri 87

Substitutions:

Deroy Duarte for Laros Duarte 61
Nuno da Costa for Dailon Livramento 61
Willy Semedo for Jovane Cabral 61
João Paulo for Sidny Cabral 76
Telmo Arcanjo for Jamiro Monteiro 79

Cards:

Pedri 90+3 Y

Cards:

Sidny Cabral 16 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper David Raya
Goalkeeper Joan García
Defender Álex Grimaldo
Defender Eric García
Defender Marc Pubil
Defender/Midfielder Pedro Porro
Midfielder Alex Baena
Midfielder Martín Zubimendi
Midfielder/Forward Dani Olmo
Midfielder/Forward Mikel Merino
Midfielder/Forward Víctor Muñoz
Midfielder/Forward Nico Williams
Midfielder/Forward Lamine Yamal
Midfielder/Forward Yeremy Pino
Forward Borja Iglesias

On the bench:

Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos
Goalkeeper Márcio Rosa
Defender Logan Costa
Defender Djack
Defender Stopira
Defender/Midfielder João Paulo
Defender/Midfielder Wagner Pina
Midfielder Deroy Duarte
Midfielder Yannick Semedo
Midfielder Telmo Arcanjo
Midfielder/Forward Hélio Varela
Midfielder/Forward Garry Rodrigues
Midfielder/Forward Willy Semedo
Forward Gilson Benchimol
Forward Nuno da Costa

Comments:

Spain’s preceding three opening games at FIFA World Cup finals had each produced six or more goals: 1-5 v Netherlands in 2014, 3-3 v. Portugal in 2018 and 7–0 v Costa Rica in 2022. . Amongst the favourites for this tournament, should they proceed to lift trophy, La Furia Roja would become the first team to do so after a goalless draw in their opening game since Italy in 1982 in Spain. . Aged 18 years and 337 days, Lamine Yamal had now become the youngest-ever European player to appear at two major tournaments: also Euro 2024.

Comments:

Having qualified for the first time, Cape Verde Islands (population 525,000, similar to Malaga in Spain) had now become the third-smallest nation to compete at a FIFA World Cup tournament after Curacao (156,000) and Iceland (405,000). . The Blue Sharks qualified by finishing top of Africa Qualifying Group D, winning seven and losing one of their ten games. . Goalkeeper and Player of the Match Vozinha had now become the ninth player aged 40 or over to play at a FIFA World Cup finals (40 years and 12 days).

0 Spain

Manager: Luis de la Fuente

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Unai Simón
Defender Aymeric Laporte
Defender Pau Cubarsí
Defender/Midfielder Marc Cucurella
Defender/Midfielder Marcos Llorente
Defender/Midfielder Rodri (captain)
Midfielder Fabián Ruiz
Midfielder Gavi
Midfielder Pedri
Midfielder/Forward Ferran Torres
Midfielder/Forward Mikel Oyarzabal

Substitutions:

Mikel Merino for Fabián Ruiz 71
Lamine Yamal for Gavi 71
Dani Olmo for Ferran Torres 81
Nico Williams for Rodri 87

Cards:

Pedri 90+3 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper David Raya
Goalkeeper Joan García
Defender Álex Grimaldo
Defender Eric García
Defender Marc Pubil
Defender/Midfielder Pedro Porro
Midfielder Alex Baena
Midfielder Martín Zubimendi
Midfielder/Forward Dani Olmo
Midfielder/Forward Mikel Merino
Midfielder/Forward Víctor Muñoz
Midfielder/Forward Nico Williams
Midfielder/Forward Lamine Yamal
Midfielder/Forward Yeremy Pino
Forward Borja Iglesias

Comments:

Spain’s preceding three opening games at FIFA World Cup finals had each produced six or more goals: 1-5 v Netherlands in 2014, 3-3 v. Portugal in 2018 and 7–0 v Costa Rica in 2022. . Amongst the favourites for this tournament, should they proceed to lift trophy, La Furia Roja would become the first team to do so after a goalless draw in their opening game since Italy in 1982 in Spain. . Aged 18 years and 337 days, Lamine Yamal had now become the youngest-ever European player to appear at two major tournaments: also Euro 2024.

0 Cape Verde Islands

Manager: Bubista

Starting lineup:

Vózinha Goalkeeper
Diney Borges Defender
Sidny Cabral Defender/Midfielder
Kevin Pina Defender/Midfielder
Steven Moreira Defender/Midfielder
Pico Defender/Midfielder
Laros Duarte Midfielder
Jamiro Monteiro Midfielder
Ryan Mendes Midfielder/Forward (captain)
Dailon Livramento Forward
Jovane Cabral Forward

Substitutions:

Deroy Duarte for Laros Duarte 61
Nuno da Costa for Dailon Livramento 61
Willy Semedo for Jovane Cabral 61
João Paulo for Sidny Cabral 76
Telmo Arcanjo for Jamiro Monteiro 79

Cards:

Sidny Cabral 16 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos
Goalkeeper Márcio Rosa
Defender Logan Costa
Defender Djack
Defender Stopira
Defender/Midfielder João Paulo
Defender/Midfielder Wagner Pina
Midfielder Deroy Duarte
Midfielder Yannick Semedo
Midfielder Telmo Arcanjo
Midfielder/Forward Hélio Varela
Midfielder/Forward Garry Rodrigues
Midfielder/Forward Willy Semedo
Forward Gilson Benchimol
Forward Nuno da Costa

Comments:

Having qualified for the first time, Cape Verde Islands (population 525,000, similar to Malaga in Spain) had now become the third-smallest nation to compete at a FIFA World Cup tournament after Curacao (156,000) and Iceland (405,000). . The Blue Sharks qualified by finishing top of Africa Qualifying Group D, winning seven and losing one of their ten games. . Goalkeeper and Player of the Match Vozinha had now become the ninth player aged 40 or over to play at a FIFA World Cup finals (40 years and 12 days).