Spain played a 1-1 draw against Iraq in a warm-up friendly match in La Coruna on June 4, 2026, completing the game without any injuries to key players [1, 2]. Coach Luis de la Fuente rested several established stars, including Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, David Raya, Victor Munoz, Marc Cucurella, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, Rodri, and Mikel Oyarzabal, citing fitness concerns [1, 2].
In their place, Spain gave senior debuts to eight young players: Marc Bernal, Jon Martin, Gonzalo Turrientes, Javi Guerra, Marc Pubill, Javi Rodriguez, and Leo Roman. De la Fuente said, "They all earned it. The match allowed us to give debuts to players who deserved the chance. They helped us a lot" [1].
The coach added, "Today was about sensations and giving opportunities to other players. No injuries—that's important," emphasizing Spain's focus on player welfare during pre-tournament build-up [1]. Spain will base themselves in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the 2026 World Cup in the United States [1, 2].
The squad's next match will be a friendly against Peru on June 7, 2026, in Puebla, Mexico, as part of final preparations before the tournament [1, 2]. Spain's opening World Cup group match is scheduled for June 15 against Cape Verde [1, 2].
One player closely monitored is Lamine Yamal, who is recovering from a left hamstring injury that ended his season in April. De la Fuente said, "The plan is to stick to what we'd planned, and that schedule gave us confidence that he could be ready by the 15th. Things are generally going very well, but there might be a day when we have to put something on hold" [1].
De la Fuente also noted, "Now we enter a new phase with more intensity and more players contributing. Tomorrow we're in the United States, and that puts our focus exactly where it needs to be" [1].