Spain’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, expressed frustration after his side failed to secure victory against Cape Verde in their opening Group H match of the 2026 World Cup at Atalanta Stadium, Atalanta, on Monday (15 June 2026).

The team known as La Furia Roja played with aggression and dominated possession from the start of the match, held in the United States time zone. Pedri and his teammates recorded 27 shots throughout the game.

However, the solid defensive line of Cape Verde thwarted every opportunity created by the reigning Euro 2024 champions. Goalkeeper Vozinha, guarding Cape Verde’s net, became a nightmare for Spain’s forwards, making a total of seven saves at the age of 40.

Despite Luis de la Fuente introducing Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal in the second half, Spain were unable to find the breakthrough. The match ended in a goalless draw, marking a disappointing start for La Furia Roja in their World Cup campaign.

Following the game, De la Fuente could not hide his disappointment with the outcome, insisting that his side deserved all three points given the number of chances they created.

“There was a positive attitude and a desire to improve,” said Luis de la Fuente, as quoted from FIFA’s official website. “We should have won the match today considering everything that happened, the favorable situations we created, but we lacked sharpness and precision,” he added.

The 64-year-old coach quickly shifted his focus to the next fixture against Saudi Arabia, determined to claim three points against the Asian giants. “We must now start thinking about the match against Saudi Arabia,” said the former Spain U-23 coach. “We have to keep improving, enhance everything, and build momentum. That’s our main goal in the coming days before the next match,” he noted.

The coach from Haro admitted that Cape Verde’s physical strength gave them an edge, making it difficult for his players to compete in physical duels. “Our opponents are a very strong physical team. We knew they would field a compact unit with players who are physically powerful,” said the manager who led Spain to the Euro 2024 title. “Combined with our lack of freshness, yes, this is what happens. That’s football; there are no easy opponents here,” he continued.

De la Fuente also discussed the physical condition of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, who both came on in the second half. He stated that he would wait patiently until both players are 100 percent fit to represent Spain, as they had suffered injuries prior to the tournament. “Lamine? We are confident that he and Nico are fine. We just want to wait for the right moment,” said Luis de la Fuente. “The match required their involvement; they are crucial not only for what they contribute on the pitch but also because they can psychologically unsettle the opposition,” he explained.

The coach stressed the importance of maintaining hunger and continuing Spain’s impressive unbeaten streak, which has now reached 32 matches. “Yes, I am very calm. Of course, we wanted to win, and we did everything to achieve that, but we must keep improving,” said De la Fuente. “This team never stops growing. We also broke a record… We have gone 32 matches without defeat, and I think that’s something to appreciate,” he concluded.