Luis de la Fuente has confirmed Spain‘s starting lineup to take on France in the 2026 World Cup semifinals. Although it was speculated, Pedri’s absence is still surprising. With a ticket to the final on the line, Spain‘s young, star midfielder will start on the substitutes’ bench, just like Barcelona teammate Gavi, who isn’t starting either.
Pedri’s demotion to be a substitute is an entirely tactical decision. Pedri is fully healthy and fit to play, and could’ve started against France. However, he’s lost his starting role after some lackluster performances throughout the 2026 World Cup. When Spain face France at the semifinals, the recent trend will continue.
Pedri’s place has been claimed by Fabian Ruiz, who was named a starter for the quarterfinal against Belgium. Ruiz made the most of his opportunity, scoring a goal for La Roja and putting on a clinic in midfield while complementing Rodri in a crucial area of the pitch. Nico Williams isn’t starting today either.
How Pedri’s absence affects Spain
Spain are known for their ball possession and their ability to take the wind out of their opponents’ sails by playing a slower-paced style while being highly efficient in front of goal. De la Fuente explained that Pedri’s role with Spain is different from the midfielder’s job at Barcelona, which hinted the young Culé could be benched again.
Pedri #20 of Spain at the 2026 World Cup.
Still, Pedri contributes to the team’s control of possession, and even though he’s had some erratic outings, he can still influence the midfield like few others can. Against France, who have no shortage of speedsters and prolific scorers, Spain’s style will face a litmus test. Perhaps it will come down to goalkeepers Mike Maignan and Unai Simon, or maybe it will be the midfield battle that tilts the scales.
In that case, de la Fuente’s decision to bench Pedri in favor of Ruiz could determine who moves on to the 2026 World Cup final. It paid off against Belgium. Whether it will do so against the Red Devils’ neighbors is a different question.
Pedri’s 2026 World Cup so far
Coming into soccer’s biggest tournament as one of the main players to watch for Spain—and across the entire World Cup—it’s safe to say Pedri hasn’t put on the performances he expected. Pedri was coming off a superb year at Barcelona, during which he set a new career high for assists in a single season with 12 across all competitions.
However, he has yet to record a goal contribution for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. Still, goals and assists rarely do Pedri’s style any favors. His stats don’t necessarily jump off the page, even when he plays lights out. Regardless, he’s had some rough outings at the 2026 World Cup, looking inaccurate and a bit rusty at times.
At first, his performances were only criticized on social media, but with de la Fuente now choosing Ruiz to start instead, it’s clear the national team coaching staff has noticed Pedri’s struggles, too.
