Spain vs. Belgium: La Roja's watertight defence - and not Lamine Yamal - could win them the 2026 World Cup

Much of the pre-World Cup speech surrounding Spain focused connected Lamine Yamal.

The 18-year-old sensation. The generational superstar. There had been immoderate uncertainty surrounding his engagement successful the 2026 tourney owed to an wounded that helium suffered portion representing Barcelona towards the extremity of past season, but helium is present.

Yamal's signifier this summertime has been mixed, managing conscionable 1 extremity and zero assists successful 5 appearances, and helium recovered it hard to marque his people against Portugal successful the last-16 signifier of the contention past clip out.

Such comments whitethorn look harsh considering that the attacker is not 19 until July, but incredibly precocious standards person been acceptable successful the aboriginal stages of his career.

Yamal is yet to find his champion signifier astatine 2026 World Cup

There were suggestions that Spain would not beryllium capable to triumph the 2026 World Cup unless Yamal was astatine his best, but it has been La Roja's unthinkable defence that has been the communicative of their tourney frankincense far, and it could transportation them to glory.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon present holds the grounds for the longest clip without conceding a extremity astatine a World Cup, which stands astatine 609 successive minutes successful the competition.

David Raya had a glorious run astatine Arsenal and has developed into 1 of the champion goalkeepers successful the world, but Simon has shown this summertime wherefore helium is Spain's fig 1 with a bid of commanding performances.

On paper, Spain's backmost 4 is acold from elite - Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella, but each 4 person had fantabulous tournaments.

Cubarsi has been outstanding for Spain this summer

Cubarsi was not ever astatine his champion for Barcelona past season, but the 19-year-old has shown wherefore helium is 1 of the astir highly-rated young defenders successful the world.

Laporte's acquisition has been crucial, portion Cucurella and Porro person been sensational successful the full-back positions, with some enjoying standout tournaments.

The extortion from Rodri has been immense, with the Manchester City midfielder showing signs of his champion form, and Spain person inactive not conceded a azygous extremity astatine this World Cup, keeping cleanable sheets against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Austria and Portugal; Belgium are adjacent up successful the quarter-finals.

Never has a federation won the World Cup without conceding a goal, with the best-ever antiaircraft grounds belonging to France (1998), Italy (2006) and Spain (2010) - each 3 conceded conscionable 2 goals during the full tournament.

Spain are yet to concede a extremity astatine 2026 World Cup

Spain are truthful chasing antiaircraft history, but not excessively galore predicted that would beryllium the lawsuit this summer, with Yamal's signifier seen arsenic the deciding origin successful immoderate occurrence for the Spanish nationalist team.

Should Luis de la Fuente's broadside flooded Belgium, past it could beryllium France successful the semi-finals, up of a last against perchance Argentina oregon England.

As a result, determination volition beryllium tougher tests to travel earlier the tourney ends, but Spain look incredibly beardown from a antiaircraft constituent of view, and they are successful bully signifier to triumph a 2nd World Cup trophy.