Spain vs Cape Verde: Why Ferran Torres could be more crucial than Lamine Yamal to La Roja's World Cup hopes

Spain begin their 2026 World Cup campaign against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15th, a fixture that on paper should offer Luis de la Fuente’s side a comfortable entry into the tournament.

Yet for a nation with Spain’s pedigree, nothing about the World Cup has been straightforward for more than a decade.

The heat, the pressure and the weight of expectation all converge as La Roja look to finally re‑establish themselves as a genuine force on the global stage.

Cape Verde arrive as massive underdogs but not without threat, and Spain’s preparations have been complicated by fitness concerns surrounding their brightest young star, Lamine Yamal.

With questions over whether the teenage sensation should be risked in the opener, attention has turned to a far more experienced, and often overlooked, figure in the squad: Ferran Torres.

And as Spain look to avoid another slow start on the world stage, Ferran’s importance may be greater than ever.

Spain’s recent World Cup record has been surprisingly bad

© Imago / AFLOSPORT

For all their technical brilliance and the Euro 2024 triumph, La Roja's World Cup record since lifting the trophy in South Africa back in 2010 has been unexpectedly poor.

Their title defence in Brazil 2014 collapsed almost immediately, with a humiliating 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands setting the tone for a group‑stage exit in which they won just one match.

Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 brought marginal improvement, but both campaigns ended in the Round of 16, and both on penalties - first to hosts Russia and then to surprise package and eventual semi-finalists Morocco.

Despite entering 2026 as one of the favourites, Spain have not won a World Cup knockout match in 16 years.

That context matters immensely, as it could explain why De la Fuente will want to manage his squad carefully and why he may want to avoid unnecessary risks.

Luis de la Fuente faces Lamine Yamal injury risk against Cape Verde

© Iconsport / Pressinphoto

Yamal’s emergence has been one of the most exciting developments in world football in a very long time, but Spain’s preparations have been overshadowed by the hamstring injury that ruled him out of Barcelona’s title run‑in.

De la Fuente has openly admitted the national team feared the 18-year-old would miss the tournament entirely.

“We were very worried,” he told the Spanish press, explaining that the initial prognosis suggested the injury could easily have extended beyond six weeks.

Instead, Yamal has recovered ahead of schedule and is with the squad, but he has not yet played a competitive minute since the setback.

Spain must now decide whether to throw him straight into the opener or preserve him for tougher challenges later in the group. With Nico Williams also managing fitness issues, the wide positions suddenly look less certain than expected.

And that is where Ferran could become crucial.

Ferran Torres has emerged as Spain’s unlikely leader

© Imago

Ferran has never been the flashiest name in the Spain squad, nor the most fashionable.

His Manchester City spell is remembered more for inconsistency than anything of note, while at Barcelona, he has often been rotated - starting only 23 league games in 2025/26 - rather than relied upon.

Yet for Spain, he has been nothing short of exceptional.

Torres has provided 24 goals and eight assists in 57 appearances, including two in four games at the last World Cup, a return that places him among the top ten scorers in the nation’s history despite not being a natural No.9.

His output has been remarkably consistent, and his versatility - being able to play left, right or centrally - makes him invaluable in a squad suddenly juggling fitness doubts.

De la Fuente has long been an admirer, something he made very clear before their final World Cup qualifier.

That trust is reflected in his status as Spain’s third‑choice captain, a role that speaks to his influence behind the scenes as much as on the pitch.

In a squad filled with prodigious young talent, Ferran is one of the few attackers with major‑tournament experience and a proven record of delivering in big moments.

Against Cape Verde, he is surely almost certain to start.

With Yamal not yet fully fit and Williams a doubt, Ferran becomes the stabilising force in Spain’s front line, the one player who can set the tone for the tournament, provide leadership in the final third and offer tactical flexibility depending on how the game unfolds.

If he performs, he may even become undroppable. And if Spain are to finally break their recent World Cup curse, they will need someone with Ferran’s blend of experience, reliability and end‑product.

This is why, at least for now, Ferran may be more crucial to Spain’s World Cup hopes than even the ever-electrifying Yamal.