Spain Stunned by Cabo Verde in Shocking World Cup Opener: Player Ratings Revealed

Spain were stunned to a 0–0 stalemate in their 2026 World Cup Group Stage opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta on Monday.

The overwhelming favorites probed methodically, and then with increasing urgency, as the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium grew visibly restless during a first half that offered little value for the ticket price.

Just as Spain began to find some rhythm, 40-year-old Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as the match's unlikely hero, producing four stops in the opening 45 minutes—including a crucial tip over the bar to deny Mikel Oyarzabal's header after Ferran Torres's shot from inside the six-yard box had bounced back off the woodwork.

In the second half, Spain continued to struggle to break down their opponents as Luis De la Fuente's side pushed their xG beyond two without ever finding a way through.

Ultimately, it was a landmark result for World Cup newcomers Cabo Verde, who proved they were far from easy pickings. A scoreless draw is not a catastrophic outcome for Spain's qualification prospects, but failing to break down FIFA's 67th-ranked side signals there is plenty of room for improvement.

The One Thing We Can't Ignore

Three-and-a-half years ago at the World Cup in Qatar, Spain launched their campaign with a dominant 7–0 thrashing of Costa Rica. There was no such comfortable stroll today for one of the pre-tournament favorites, who labored against Cabo Verde—a nation whose entire population is smaller than the city of Málaga.

A tedious first half desperately cried out for a spark of energy and pace in the final third, as Spain fell back into the sluggish, possession-heavy patterns that plagued them before Euro 2024.

Match Momentum

Spain's dynamic wide men Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are—understandably—being carefully managed back from injury, but their absence left a glaring hole in the attacking setup.

Yamal, watching from the bench, seemed to draw the TV cameras like a magnet as the minutes passed without a goal. His arrival on the 70th minute drew the loudest roar of the evening, yet even the Barcelona teenager couldn't single-handedly unlock a resolute defensive unit.

Spain Player Ratings vs. Cabo Verde (4-3-3)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Unai Simón—7.3: Called upon for just one save throughout the entire match. Simón was so peripheral to the action that Gianni Infantino might have considered billing him for the privilege of watching.

RB: Marcos Llorente—7.9: Again given very little to deal with defensively, the Atlético Madrid midfielder created two chances going forward and was his usual tireless, if unspectacular, self.

CB: Pau Cubarsí—7.9: The Barcelona youngster did nothing to suggest De la Fuente should look elsewhere for the upcoming group fixtures. Tougher challenges, however, lie ahead.

CB: Aymeric Laporte—7.5: The experienced center back looked visibly frustrated, even launching a speculative effort from well outside the box at one stage.

LB: Marc Cucurella—7.4: The new Real Madrid recruit was lively going forward and teed up Torres with a clever header back across goal in the first half, only for the forward to rattle the woodwork. He later failed to generate enough power on another header that was comfortably gathered late on.

CM: Fabián Ruiz—7.5: Reliable and characteristically neat in possession, Ruiz ultimately lacked the incisiveness needed before being withdrawn after the second hydration break.

CM: Rodri—7.9: The skipper registered the most touches of any player on the night (136) and served as Spain's engine room in midfield, but couldn't find the key to unlock the defense.

CM: Pedri—8.6: Frequently pushing into advanced areas, Pedri was Spain's standout performer before Yamal's introduction and worked tirelessly as the primary chance creator.

RW: Ferran Torres—6.4: Struck the bar with the goal gaping, Torres was uncharacteristically ineffective as Yamal's replacement on the right, losing all eight of his ground duels against a particularly tenacious opposition before being substituted.

ST: Mikel Oyarzabal—6.3: The man who has scored 12 goals in his last 11 international appearances largely struggled to impose himself on the game. His best opportunity came five minutes from the final whistle, only for his effort to be superbly blocked by Shamrock Rovers's Pico Lopes.

LW: Gavi—6.8: Operating in a more inverted role, the fluid positional interchanges De la Fuente had envisioned from his No. 9 never quite materialized before the Barcelona midfielder was taken off.

SUB: Mikel Merino (71' for Ruiz)—6.7: Offered little to change the tempo during his brief appearance.

SUB: Lamine Yamal (71' for Gavi)—6.4: Welcomed with a thunderous reception in Atlanta, the 18-year-old instantly injected some energy down the right flank.

SUB: Dani Olmo (81' for Torres)—N/A

SUB: Nico Williams (87' for Rodri)—N/A

Subs not used: David Raya (GK), Joan García (GK), Eric Garcia, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Alex Baena, Alex Grimaldo, Martín Zubimendi, Yéremi Pino, Borja Iglesias, Víctor Muñoz

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Spain's Disappointing Display