Coach Luis de la Fuente was pleased that Spain got through the final home game without injuries and took the opportunity to have a number of young players make their debuts, but said the intensity would increase even further once they arrived in North America for the World Cup.
Spain, one of the favorites to win the World Cup, was held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in a warm-up match in La Coruna on Thursday, with a significantly changed line-up.
«Today was about sensations and giving chances to other players. No injuries, that’s important,» de la Fuente told reporters.
«Now we enter a new phase with more intensity and more players contributing. Tomorrow we are in the United States, and that puts our focus exactly where it should be.»
Spain, which will be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the World Cup, takes on Peru on Monday in its final friendly in Puebla, Mexico, ahead of its Group H campaign against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
De la Fuente rested several key players including Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, David Raya, Victor Munoz, Marc Cucurella, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, Rodri and Mikel Oyarzabal due to fitness issues.
Meanwhile, Marc Bernal, Jon Martin, Gonzalo, Turrientes, Javi Guerra, Marc Pubill, Javi Rodriguez and Leo Roman were given their senior debuts against Iraq.
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«They all deserved it. The match allowed us to debut players who deserved the chance. They helped us a lot,» said the 64-year-old.
«They are players for the future and we will soon see them in the senior team. Another goal achieved.»
Spain will play Cape Verde in the opening match on June 15, although doubts remain over Yamal’s fitness.
The Barcelona forward is recovering from a left hamstring injury that ended his season in April, and De la Fuente said on Wednesday that the 18-year-old could be ready for the opener, even if there were no guarantees.
“The plan is to stick to what we had planned, and that schedule gave us confidence that he could be ready by the 15th,” he said.
“Overall things are going very well, but there may come a day when we have to put something on hold.”
Published on June 5, 2026
