Such a thing hasn't happened in decades. Spain forward matches a 60-year-old unwanted record

In the opening Group Stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spain faced Cape Verde, and the game produced a remarkable statistical anomaly.

Details: According to Opta, Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal became the first player since 1966 to go 30 minutes in a match without touching the ball even once.

Meanwhile, Cape Verde also etched its name into the history books by becoming the first African nation in 24 years to avoid defeat in its first-ever FIFA World Cup match.

As a reminder: During a studio discussion following the World Cup match between the Netherlands and Japan, 43-year-old former Oranje attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart made an extremely provocative comment about the players of the Japanese national team.