Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph over England didn’t just crown a champion, it set a tone. As we edge closer to the World Cup, la Roja are the bookmaker’s favourites to win another trophy and set themselves on a path to sustained dominance of the international stage.
In this article we’ll cover:
The performance at the Olympiastadion in Berlin had the assured control and tactical balance of a side built for sustained dominance. Luis de la Fuente’s team combined a strong collective structure with individual spontanaeity in equal measure throughout their campaign in Germany, pressing with precision, attacking with purpose and emerging as deserved victors.
The new Spanish way
The previous modus operandi of successful Spanish sides was to pile pressure on teams by dominating the ball and suffocating opponents into feeling they had to maximise every opportunity they had on the ball. In Germany, a new Spanish style emerged, based around intensity and counter-pressing, as shown by the fact that only two teams won more possessions in the attacking third per 90 at the tournament. The desire to win the ball back when losing it replacing the desire to simply keep hold of it.
With that tournament still relatively fresh in the minds of football fans from across Europe and beyond, it’s perhaps no surprise that as the 2026 World Cup slowly draws closer, Spain have been instilled as the bookmaker’s favourites, with the odds getting shorter and the likelihood of another spell of Spanish dominance feeling more likely with each passing international break.
Post-Euros form
Last month’s 0-6 away win in Turkey was perhaps the most eye-catching performance and result of the team’s post-Euros period, but the reality is that there have been barely any blots in the copy book since Berlin – with no normal-time defeats coming in 12 matches since the victory over Gareth Southgate’s side in July 2024.
The period began with a 0-0 draw in Serbia in a performance that had elements of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’. After that, la Roja won their next five games in the Nations League, scoring 13 goals in the process and topping a group including Switzerland and Denmark alongside the Eagles.
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Those results sent de la Fuente’s men to the Nations League play-offs where they overcame the Netherlands on penalties after a thrilling two-legged affair, before another barnstorming game in the semi-final saw them see off a late fightback from France to win 5-4.
After twice leading in the final against Portugal, Spain eventually succumbed to a penalty defeat to their Iberian neighbours, but these games just seem to have fuelled de la Fuente’s desire to bring a more structured defensive approach to the team. And that shift has paid dividends in their first two World Cup qualifiers with the 0-6 victory in Konya coming just days after a professional 0-3 win in Bulgaria.
A demolition job in Konya
These are Spain’s two most difficult fixtures of the slate not only out the way, but handled with consummate ease and that victory in Turkey is worth digging into a bit deeper.
On the night, la Roja created 19 chances including nine big chances, taking a total of 21 shots of which 12 were on target. They didn’t dominate possession in the way that the most successful Spanish sides of old will have done but they were incisive and deadly in opening up gaps in the Crescent-Stars backline.
When we look at the passing network above, we can see how Spain utilised the supreme confidence of Zubimendi to receive the ball from deep and looked to launch attacks through Pedri on the left side of the midfield three. The Barcelona man, often linking up on the left hand side with both Nico Williams and the incredibly attacking Marc Cucurella, was able to create overloads and concentrate sustained possession on the left – but that was partly just to free up more space for a certain Lamine Yamal on the right hand side.
Again, that concentration of play on the left was a tactic we saw in the final as Kyle Walker repeatedly needed to pull in assistance from the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and John Stones in order to cope with the overload, leaving space elsewhere.
Zubimendi in the pivot allowed both Pedri and Merino to push forward with devastating effect against Turkey, with the pair scoring the two goals on the night. That job of screening the defence and giving a forward line freedom to press high, create chances and score goals is pivotal and the most frightening thing of all? Zubimendi likely won’t even be first choice by the time we reach the World Cup if Rodri manages to regain his match fitness and best form in time for the tournament.
Once the irrepressible Pedri opened the scoring, Turkey were forced to open up more and this allowed Yamal to enjoy one of the most fruitful nights of his already impressive career in terms of chance creation. He completed eight take-ons created four chances (three of which were listed as big chances) and completed 15 final third passes. He didn’t get on the scoresheet from his six shots, but ended the game with two assists, one from a tidy reverse pass to Ferran Torres and another from a lay-off to Merino to finish his hat-trick in sumptuous style.
Explosive pace and strength in depth
Yamal and Williams are different types of superstars to the ones that packed the Spanish sides of old. While individual brilliance wasn’t exactly lacking from the 2010 World Cup winning squad, Xavi and Iniesta’s ability to dovetail from each other was what propelled Spain to the next level. This squad may not have the same speed of thought in possession but it possesses more speed and goalscoring firepower in the wider areas.
This particular international break may not be one to fully represent what this Spain side is capable of. Yamal, Williams, Rodri, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz and Dean Huijsen will all miss out through injury, but when you consider how strong the squad is with players of that ilk missing, it’s not hard to see why the bookmakers have such faith in them to do the business in North America.
