#预测世界杯西班牙VS佛得角 World Cup - Spain vs. Cape Verde Preview: A Big Win Seems Very Likely

On June 15, Beijing time, and June 16, Tuesday early morning at 00:00 Beijing time, the first match of Group E in the 2026 North America, Mexico, and Canada World Cup will kick off, with the heavy favorite Spain facing the World Cup newcomer Cape Verde. This will be a matchup with a significant disparity in strength.
Spain is currently ranked 2nd in the FIFA world rankings, with a team total value of 1.26 billion euros; Cape Verde is ranked 67th, with a total team value of about 52 million euros. The general expectation is that Spain will easily win, starting their World Cup journey with a victory.

Match Highlights and In-Depth Analysis
1 Spain: Dominant strength, aiming for a winning start, but needs to watch out for injuries
As the 2024 European Championship champions, Spain’s strength lies in their midfield control. The combination of Rodrigo, Pedri, and Gavi is considered the “key to winning the title.” However, there are obvious risks: talented winger Yamal has been out since April due to injury, and although he has been included in the squad, head coach De La Fuente has confirmed that injured players like Yamal and Nico Williams will not start this match. This means Spain may adopt a cautious strategy, ensuring victory while gradually helping key players regain form.
2 Cape Verde: Historic debut, parking the bus is the only option
For “Blue Sharks” Cape Verde, stepping onto the World Cup stage is a historic breakthrough. Facing opponents far stronger than themselves, the team is expected to set up a compact 5-4-1 defensive formation and fight with all their might. Their defensive core is center-back Logann Costa, who plays for Villarreal in La Liga; he is familiar with Spanish players’ style and will be the last line of defense for the team. Cape Verde’s goal is clear: to keep the goal safe for as long as possible and gain experience in major tournaments.
3 Match Pace: The battle between possession and counter-attack
Spain is expected to dominate possession, patiently breaking down Cape Verde’s packed defense through patient passing. The team lacks top strikers like Villa or Torres, but wingers like Oyarzabal and Ferran Torres have individual burst capabilities. Substitutes like Yamal may also come on in the second half to change the game.
Cape Verde’s attacking opportunities will be extremely limited, mainly relying on sporadic counterattacks and set pieces.

Score Prediction
Based on all information, a big win for Spain is highly likely. Major media outlets and analysts generally believe that Cape Verde will find it difficult to stop the “Lions of the Desert” attack, with the key being how many goals Spain can score.

Predicted Score: Spain 3-0 Cape Verde or 4-0
Spain’s primary goal in the first match is to secure three points and have their key players finish healthy. They are expected to control the pace after taking the lead, but the significant gap in strength will still translate into goals. Cape Verde will do their best, but the possibility of an upset is very slim.