Spain vs Saudi Arabia - prediction, team news, lineups

Spain volition beryllium aiming to grounds their archetypal triumph of the 2026 World Cup erstwhile they proceed their Group H run against Saudi Arabia connected Sunday afternoon.

La Roja drew 0-0 with Cape Verde successful their opening lucifer of the competition, portion Saudi Arabia shared the points with Uruguay successful a 1-1 draw.

Match preview

To suggest that Spain were underwhelming successful their tourney opener against Cape Verde past clip retired would beryllium an understatement, with Luis de la Fuente's broadside struggling to get going, and they were yet made to settee for a constituent successful a goalless draw.

As a result, determination is unit connected 1 of the pre-tournament favourites to prime up each 3 points connected Sunday, and Spain cognize that taking 4 points from their adjacent 2 matches would unafraid a spot successful the circular of 32 arsenic radical winners oregon runners-up.

La Roja struggled for inspiration against Cape Verde until Lamine Yamal was introduced, and the nationalist broadside volition surely request their 18-year-old superstar successful afloat travel this summertime successful bid to basal a superior accidental of winning the World Cup for conscionable the 2nd time.

Spain person been eliminated successful the last-16 signifier of the past 2 World Cups, portion they went retired successful the radical signifier successful 2014, truthful it has been an underwhelming play successful this competition.

La Roja volition beryllium the dense favourites against Saudi Arabia connected Sunday, and the European outfit volition beryllium facing the Green Falcons for the 2nd clip astatine the finals of a World Cup.

Spain recorded a 1-0 triumph erstwhile the brace went to conflict astatine the 2006 tournament, with Juanito scoring the lone extremity of the group-stage fixture.

Saudi Arabia person besides mislaid 2 friendlies against Spain, truthful the nationalist squad are looking for a first-ever triumph implicit La Roja, and they tin instrumentality inspiration from Cape Verde's performance.

Georgios Donis' broadside opened their tourney with a 1-1 gully against Uruguay; Abdulelah Al Amri sent Saudi Arabia up successful the 41st infinitesimal of the contest, earlier Maxi Araujo came up with a precocious leveller for the South Americans.

All 4 teams successful Group H are truthful connected 1 point, truthful a batch could hap successful the last 2 matchdays, and a affirmative effect for Saudi Arabia successful this contention would permission them successful a beardown presumption up of their last crippled successful the conception against Cape Verde.

Saudi Arabia's champion show astatine a World Cup came successful 1994, erstwhile they reached the circular of 16, but their past 2 tournaments (2018 and 2022) person ended successful group-stage exits.

Spain World Cup form:

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Spain signifier (all competitions):

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Saudi Arabia World Cup form:

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Saudi Arabia signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Yamal is expected to beryllium introduced into the starting squad connected Sunday, with Spain assured that the teen is present acceptable to diagnostic from the archetypal whistle.

The attacker played the last 19 minutes against Cape Verde, making his archetypal quality since suffering a hamstring wounded portion representing Barcelona astatine the extremity of April.

Fellow guardant Nico Williams could besides beryllium introduced into the XI pursuing his precocious quality against Cape Verde, with Ferran Torres and Gavi apt to driblet to the bench.

Spain person nary caller wounded problems, though Liverpool-bound Victor Munoz whitethorn again beryllium unavailable for enactment owed to a hamstring issue.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, person not reported immoderate wounded problems up of the clash.

Abdulelah Al Amri was connected the scoresheet past clip retired and volition proceed astatine the back, portion determination volition beryllium a spot successful a wide country for the skipper Salem Al-Dawsari, who has scored 27 times successful 111 appearances for his nationalist side.

Firas Al Buraikan is again successful enactment to diagnostic successful the last 3rd of the field, with the 26-year-old bidding to adhd to the 15 goals that helium has registered for the Green Falcons.

Spain imaginable starting lineup:

Simon; Llorente, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Oyarzabal, N Williams

Saudi Arabia imaginable starting lineup:

Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al Tambakti, Al Amri, Al Harbi; Al Shamat, Al-Khaibari, Kanno, S Al-Dawsari; Al Buraikan, Al-Juwayr

We say: Spain 2-0 Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia are susceptible of making this a pugnacious lucifer for Spain, and we are expecting a precise competitory match, but Yamal's apt commencement should mean that La Roja prime up each 3 points.

This is cardinal accusation to see if considering betting connected the World Cup, and we’ve included it successful our World Cup betting guide for the tournament.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.