Ferran Torres opens the scoring for Spain against Irak in a friendly on the road to the 2026 World Cup
La Roja played its first warm-up friendly with the 2026 World Cup in mind and found Irak to be a tricky opponent in a match full of changes. Ferran Torres scored the opening goal, but the Asian side's response was immediate with a stunning strike.
The build-up of Spain for the Mundial 2026 left a test of tempo, variations and setbacks this Thursday against Irak. In a friendly with plenty of changes and with special involvement from two Atlético de Madrid players, La Roja struck first thanks to Ferran Torres, although the opposition answered with a beautifully taken goal.
The rehearsal served to keep shaping the road to the World Cup, but also as a reminder that, even in matches meant to fine-tune the pieces, there are opponents capable of complicating the script. Irak showed a competitive edge and Spain were forced to deal with a more open game than expected.
A friendly with pace and an immediate response
The clash had an entertaining start in Riazor, where Luis de la Fuente's side found the net early. Ferran Torres' goal allowed Spain to take the initiative, but the joy did not last long: Irak replied with an authentic golazo to level the score and keep the tension alive.
According to the information released about the match, the opening phase was especially lively, with chances and a sense of a game that was alive from the outset. In that context, the Spanish national team once again saw that the pre-World Cup friendlies are not only about collecting minutes, but also about measuring the ability to respond in awkward scenarios.
Scare for Baena and Pubill's debut with La Roja
Beyond the partial scoreline, the friendly left two standout names linked to Atlético de Madrid:
- Álex Baena, who suffered a scare during the match.
- Marc Pubill, who made his debut with Spain.
The presence of both added interest to an already significant fixture, as it was the Spanish national team's first warm-up friendly with the great target of 2026 in mind.
On a night marked by rotations and a collective examination, the focus was also on how the different players fit into the coach's plan. The match itself showed a Spain still in the adjustment phase, still exploring automatism and alternatives before the big competition begins.
Spain keeps fine-tuning details before the big tournament
The friendly against Irak is part of a stage in which the teams taking part in the Mundial 2026 are beginning to shape their feelings, load their legs and search for certainties. In that picture, Spain appeared with a mix of control, testing and suffering, something common in this kind of pre-tournament game.
Ferran Torres' early strike, Irak's later equaliser and the context of constant changes paint a fairly clear picture: La Roja is already up and running, but still has room to polish details before the World Cup.
For a team arriving with renewed ambition, these friendlies are a kind of emotional and footballing barometer. And although the result is not the only objective, every action, every debut and every scare starts to count on the road to the Mundial 2026.
