Spain predicted lineup vs Saudi Arabia for FIFA World Cup 2026

Can Barca star Pedri finally propel Spain to their first World Cup 2026 win over Saudi Arabia?

Perched high in the scenic rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) in Georgia, USA, gears up to host the match week 2 fixture in Group H of the FIFA World Cup 2026. European champions Spain and Saudi Arabia lock horns in what is set to be a thrilling contest.

After Germany thrashed Curacao 7-1 in one of the openers, many expected the same fate for debutants Cape Verde against reigning European champions Spain in their opening fixture. However, La Roja failed to even score. A brilliant display of defensive prowess by Cape Verde, especially their goalkeeper Vozinha, did the magic.

Luckily, the other group game ended in a draw, and every team is at the same points in Group H. This becomes a must-win game for Spain to keep their knockout hopes alive.

They must be wary of the threats posed by Saudi Arabia, who defeated eventual 2022 champions Argentina in the group stages. They are very much capable of pulling another upset against Spain.

In this article, we take a closer look at La Roja’s predicted lineup for the big game against Saudi Arabia.

Who all will be expected to be in the starting lineup?

There are no injury concerns for Luis de la Fuente and La Roja. Despite coming after a big upset, they have a pretty solid team.

De la Fuente is expected to stick with the same back four, who did a good job against Cape Verde. But the Spanish gaffer may make a few changes in the wings.

Lamine Yamal, if fully fit, would most likely start after an underwhelming performance from Ferran Torres. Similarly, Nico Williams is also expected to start from the left flank.

There are reports that even if Yamal starts, he might not feature for more than 45 minutes. So De la Fuente has to take a big call.

Also read: Luis de la Fuente hints at increased minutes for Lamine Yamal against Saudi Arabia

Spain’s predicted XI against Saudi Arabia

Spain Predicted XI (4-3-3): Unai Simón (GK); Marcus Llorente, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella; Fabián Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams

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