With only a handful of days remaining until the 2026 World Cup kicks off, Spain are set to take the pitch for a crucial pre-tournament friendly against Iraq ahead of their June 15 Group Stage opener against Cape Verde. La Roja will test their mettle against fellow World Cup qualifiers Iraq in Spain, but despite the massive anticipation surrounding the fixture, the biggest headline is who won’t be playing: teenage phenom Lamine Yamal has officially been ruled out.
Though Yamal is widely projected to be the focal point of Spain‘s attack during the tournament, he will sit out the friendly against Iraq as a precautionary measure. The Barcelona winger is still working his way back to full fitness following an injury setback sustained during the final stretch of the club season.
Stepping into the starting XI in Yamal’s absence is veteran forward Borja Iglesias. He is set to anchor the frontline alongside Ferran Torres and Alex Baena, a versatile attacking duo that manager Luis de la Fuente is trusting to set the tone against a disciplined Iraq‘s defense.
While Yamal is pushing hard to anchor the lineup by the June 15 opener against Cape Verde, De la Fuente has remained tight-lipped regarding an exact return date, leaving fans and pundits eagerly monitoring the youngster’s day-to-day progress.
Lamine Yamal of Spain
Spain’s confirmed lineup to face Iraq
Even without their prized winger, Spain are rolling out a formidable, star-studded lineup as De la Fuente looks to establish dominance early and fine-tune his tactical system before heading across the Atlantic. Here is La Roja’s confirmed starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Joan Garcia
- Defenders: Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Jon Martin, Alex Grimaldo
- Midfielders: Marc Bernal, Gavi, Alex Baena
- Forwards: Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo, Borja Iglesias
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM ET at the historic Estadio Municipal de Riazor in La Coruña, Spain. Be sure to follow all the action, tactical updates, and live reactions right here on our dedicated live-blog coverage at Bolavip US.
