2026 World Cup: Cape Verde pulls off a miracle; Spain fails to advance

A major upset at the 2026 World Cup: Spain, the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament, stumbled in its first Group H match, drawing 0-0 in Atlanta against Cape Verde, which was making its debut in the competition. An incredible misstep for the Red Fury, who were slow and predictable throughout the match and, above all, ineffective on offense, aside from a shot by Ferran Torres that hit the crossbar in the first half. A historic first point for the islanders, who kick off their World Cup adventure with a bang by holding the European champions to a draw.

Spain struggled to create chances in the first half, hampered by the forwards’ inaccuracy and Cape Verde’s shrewd defensive setup, whose constant pressing put De La Fuente’s playmakers in a bind. The only real chance came in the 40th minute thanks to Cucurella, who headed the ball to Ferran Torres: the Barcelona player’s powerful shot hit the crossbar, then Vozinha saved the day by blocking Oyarzabal’s follow-up header. It was the only real scare of the first 45 minutes: Cape Verde tried to make an impact on the counterattack but had no luck.

In the second half, the Spanish team continued its slow and predictable play, stifled by the midfield density imposed by Cape Verde, which remained solid and organized in defense. De La Fuente delays the substitutions, however: in the 70th minute, it’s finally Lamine Yamal’s turn (on for Gavi), who was held back because he wasn’t at his best; Merino also comes on for Fabian Ruiz.

Spain’s chances continue to be few and far between; in the 82nd minute, Cucurella tries a header but Vozinha is alert. In the 87th minute, the Spanish coach also tried the Nico Williams card, but the attack remained incredibly ineffective. In the closing minutes, Cape Verde had a chance with Borges, but his header ended up in the arms of Unai Simon: the match ended 0-0.