Reigning European champion Spain begins its World Cup tune-up against Iraq on Thursday at Estadio de Riazor in La Coruña. The fixture carries more weight than a typical friendly—Iraq is back at the tournament for the first time since 1986 after progressing through AFC qualifying and defeating Bolivia in the intercontinental play-offs. The Lions of Mesopotamia will not be making up the numbers in North America.
Spain remains the heavy favourite despite several key absences. Lamine Yamal is still recovering from a hamstring issue and unlikely to feature, while Nico Williams and Mikel Merino have also been dealing with recent injuries. David Raya, Martín Zubimendi and Fabián Ruiz may be rested following their Champions League final involvement over the weekend. Even so, the squad depth remains formidable.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The record at Riazor speaks for itself. Spain has never lost at this venue, with its last appearance coming in 2009—a 5-0 win over Belgium. That kind of history does not need much decoration.
Iraq's attacking threat centers on Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi, who offers a direct, physical presence and enjoys running at defenders. Spain will need to remain alert to that directness, even against a side with lesser-known names at this level.
Spain has not lost since its Nations League final defeat to Portugal on penalties last June. The absence of three key attacking options—Yamal, Williams and Merino—will test how effectively La Roja breaks down opponents without its biggest stars in the final third.
Predicted lineup (Spain): Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Pubill, Cucurella; Gavi, Rodri, Pedri; Torres, Oyarzabal, Pino.
Predicted lineup (Iraq): Talib; H. Ali, Tahseen, Hashem, Doski; Jasim, Sher, Iqbal, Farji; Al-Hamadi, M. Ali.
Kick-off: Thursday, June 4, 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST at Estadio de Riazor.
Prediction: Spain 4–0 Iraq.
A friendly with real stakes
For Iraq, this represents more than a warm-up—it is proof of presence on the biggest stage. For Spain, it is final tactical sharpening without key pieces. The contrast between a team reasserting itself and one trying to belong on the global stage gives this friendly an unusual edge. Spain should win comfortably, but Iraq will want to show it belongs.
After The Confetti
The small conclusion is that an injury report is never just paperwork; it is the part of the story where plans stop sounding confident and start checking the calendar.