Spain kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in the most frustrating way as they were held to a goalless draw by debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta, Georgia.
As expected, the European champions dominated proceedings from the first whistle, but Cape Verde’s disciplined defending kept them at bay despite having roughly two-thirds of ball possession.
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For Mikel Oyarzabal, it was a contest to forget as he set an unwanted record, becoming the first player on record since 1966 to play the first 30 minutes of a FIFA World Cup match without touching the ball once.
The Real Sociedad forward played the full 90 minutes but managed only one shot on target and was the second-lowest rated starter across both teams, with a match rating of 6.0, according to Sofascore.
Ahead of the match, Oyarzabal had dominated the headlines for recording the second most goal involvements per 90 minutes (1.46) since Luis de la Fuente took charge of the Spain national team, trailing only Erling Haaland. Oyarzabal later saw a loping header tipped over by Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha but was ineffective for most of the game.
In the first half, Spain registered 13 shots, just one shy of equaling their unwanted record in 1966, when they had 14 shots against Switzerland in the first 45 minutes of a World Cup match without scoring.
Luis de la Fuente’s men last scored in the World Cup in their final group stage match against Japan in 2022, where they lost 2-1. Since that time, they have had 49 shots and completed 2,500 passes in the competition without finding the net.
The draw against Cape Verde also means Spain have now failed to win their opening World Cup match in four of their last five tournaments.
Vozinha shines as Cape Verde keep Spain at bay in World Cup opener
Cape Verde got their debut FIFA World Cup campaign off to a remarkable start, thanks to Vozinha’s brilliance between the sticks. It was a historic performance from the shotstopper as he made seven saves, with six coming from inside the box.
Vozinha turned 40 earlier this month, and his shutout against Spain saw him become the oldest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on his FIFA World Cup debut. In addition to keeping a clean sheet, Vozinha prevented 1.46 goals, made 3 high claims, and received a match rating of 9.7, according to Sofascore.
His impressive display subsequently earned him the Man of the Match award. At full-time he was in tears as his heroics helped put a dent in La Roja’s World Cup hopes.
Edited by Ezekiel Olamide