European champions Spain were held to a shock 0-0 draw by tournament debutants Cape Verde in their opening Group H match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, leaving Luis de la Fuente’s side with work to do in the race for qualification.
Spain dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities but failed to find a breakthrough against a disciplined Cape Verde defence. Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as the hero for the African side, producing a string of crucial saves to earn a historic point in Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup match.
La Roja controlled much of the contest and registered significantly more attempts on goal, yet their finishing let them down. The result was widely described as one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far, with Cape Verde frustrating one of the pre-tournament favourites through organisation, resilience and tactical discipline.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente admitted his side should have won the match but pointed to a lack of clinical finishing in front of goal. The draw now increases the pressure on Spain ahead of their next Group H fixture against Saudi Arabia, while Cape Verde will take enormous confidence into their clash with Uruguay.
The result leaves Group H wide open, with Spain missing an opportunity to take early control of a group that also features Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
