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Cape Verde delivered the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup to date by holding Spain to a goalless draw in Atalanta on Monday. The tournament newcomers, widely expected to be swept aside by the reigning European champions, defied all odds as 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha produced a heroic performance, pulling off a string of fine saves to deny La Roja and earn global acclaim.

In truth, Spain failed to generate the volume of chances one might expect against a team ranked 64th in the world. Pedri was far from his usual creative best, while Ferran Torres and his attacking colleagues squandered several key opportunities. Torres, in particular, missed a clear-cut chance in the first half, and Mikel Oyarzabal once again struggled to justify his place as Spain’s central striker.

As the match wore on, head coach Luis de la Fuente turned to teenage sensation Lamine Yamal for the final 20 minutes in a last-ditch attempt to salvage victory. Although the Barcelona prodigy injected pace and creativity into Spain’s attack, Cape Verde’s defence stood firm, leaving the European champions frustrated and unable to find a breakthrough.

Here’s how each Spain player fared in Atalanta:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Unai Simon (6/10): His distribution was tidy, and he had only one save to make throughout the match.

Marcos Llorente (6/10): Energetic on the right flank but fortunate to escape a booking after a clumsy challenge on Jovane Cabral.

Pau Cubarsi (6/10): The young Barcelona defender enjoyed a largely comfortable evening as Cape Verde posed minimal attacking threat.

Aymeric Laporte (6/10): Tested Vozinha with a well-directed header in first-half stoppage time and remained composed in defence.

Marc Cucurella (7/10): Spain’s most effective attacking outlet on the night, the Real Madrid left-back created two excellent chances for Ferran Torres, both of which went begging.

Midfield

Rodri (7/10): Controlled the tempo in midfield and produced a lovely lofted pass that led to Spain’s best first-half opportunity, with Cucurella setting up Ferran Torres.

Fabian Ruiz (6/10): Tried to push forward to make things happen but found little success. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder still appears short of full sharpness following his recent injury.

Attack

Ferran Torres (3/10): Missing from six yards out was inexcusable, and he also struck a weak shot straight at Vozinha before half-time. It was surprising he remained on the pitch for 80 minutes.

Pedri (5/10): The Barcelona playmaker kept trying to create openings but fell well below his usual high standards. This was a match he should have taken control of.

Gavi (3/10): A surprise inclusion in the starting eleven, he failed to justify his selection. Offered no creativity on the left and was rightly substituted early.

Mikel Oyarzabal (4/10): Had one looping header tipped over by Vozinha but contributed little else. Spain’s lack of a natural No.9 continues to be a major concern.

Substitutes & Manager

Lamine Yamal (6/10): Introduced with just under 20 minutes remaining, he looked lively but couldn’t rescue Spain from an embarrassing result.

Mikel Merino (6/10): Came on alongside Yamal and nearly grabbed the winner, only to see his shot blocked brilliantly by Pico Lopes.

Dani Olmo (6/10): Replaced the ineffective Ferran Torres in the closing stages and created a good late chance for Merino.

Nico Williams (x/10): Made his much-anticipated return from injury late in the match but had little time to influence proceedings.

Luis de la Fuente (3/10): The Euro 2024-winning coach will face heavy criticism for this disjointed display – and deservedly so. Spain lacked intensity, and while injuries may have constrained his options, starting Gavi proved a poor decision. De la Fuente will now be hoping Lamine Yamal is fully fit for Spain’s next fixture against Saudi Arabia, as this performance showed how lost they are without him.

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