Trying on the champion's suit: prediction for Spain vs Iraq - 04.06.2026
One of Thursday's friendlies will take place at the Riazor Stadium in La Coruña, where Spain will host Iraq. For Luis de la Fuente's side, this marks the beginning of their final preparations for the World Cup, while for the visitors it's a true test of strength against one of the tournament’s top favorites.
Spain: World Cup favorite starts its engines at home
Spain enters the World Cup as reigning European champions and the second-ranked team in the FIFA rankings, trailing only France. After early exits in the last three World Cups, La Roja once again look like a squad capable not only of playing beautiful football but also of showing true champion's pragmatism and consistency.
De la Fuente’s team cruised through qualifying unbeaten, winning five out of six matches, and has lost only once in their last 28 internationals - a penalty shootout defeat to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League final. In March, Spain drew 0-0 at home against Egypt, so this match in La Coruña is important not just as a warm-up, but also as a chance to rediscover their attacking sharpness in front of their own fans.
Iraq: Back on the world stage with no room for nerves
Iraq is preparing for only their second-ever World Cup and their first since 1986. The team battled through a tough Asian qualifying campaign and then beat Bolivia 2-1 in an intercontinental play-off to finally secure their ticket to North America.
Under Graham Arnold, Iraq has shown real improvement: nine wins in their last 14 matches is an impressive record for a team that not long ago struggled for consistency. After losses to Algeria and Jordan in the Arab Nations Cup, Iraq bounced back with victories over Bolivia and Andorra, but a narrow 1-0 win against Andorra shows that against Spain, the visitors will have little margin for error.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Spain are unbeaten in regular time in their last 28 matches across all competitions, with the only defeat in this stretch coming via penalties against Portugal.
- Iraq have won nine of their last 14 matches under Graham Arnold, including victories over Bolivia and Andorra.
- The only previous meeting between Spain and Iraq came at the 2009 Confederations Cup, when Spain won 1-0 thanks to a goal from David Villa.
Prediction
Spain may not field their optimal lineup: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Mikel Merino are all carrying knocks, and several players could be rested following the Champions League final. Still, La Roja's squad depth is so great that even an experimental lineup should be able to control possession, tempo, and territory.
Iraq are more organized than their ranking suggests and will likely try to clog the midfield, leaving Aymen Hussein and Ali Al-Hamadi ready for rare counterattacks. However, facing Spain’s pressing and quality between the lines, it will be tough for the visitors to hold out for long without cracks appearing.
