Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams were both named on the bench for Spain’s World Cup Group H match against Cape Verde, leaving Rodri to lead the reigning European champions from the start as the game in Atlanta approached 17:00 BST.
That selection matters because Yamal would make his first appearance since 22 April if he took to the field. Spain’s starting XI was Simon, Llorente, Laporte, Cubarsi, Cucurella, Fabian Ruiz, Gavi, Rodri, Pedri, Torres and Oyarzabal, a lineup that showed how much quality was still available even without two of the team’s most eye-catching attacking options.
Cape Verde brought their own familiarity and experience into the contest. Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto Lopes started for them, while Ryan Mendes captained the side and offered a reminder of how far the debutants had come after a loan spell at Nottingham Forest earlier in his career. Lopes was born in Dublin, another detail that underlined how unusual the night felt for both teams.
Spain came into the World Cup as one of the favourites to lift the trophy on 19 July and add a second star to their shirt, so leaving Yamal and Nico Williams out of the starting XI was always going to draw attention. Marc Cucurella’s earlier move from Chelsea to Real Madrid on a six-year deal added to the sense of movement around the squad, but the sharper question was whether Yamal would actually be sent on at some point in Atlanta. If he is, it will mark his return after more than two months away from the pitch; if he is not, Spain will have preserved one of their biggest weapons for later in Group H.
