Spain will be looking to rubber stamp their position as favourites to lift the 2026 World Cup when they take on Iraq in La Coruna on Thursday evening.
Spain will hope for a statement win against inferior opposition when they welcome their Asian opponents for a 8pm (UK time) kick off on Thursday but could they find things a little more tricky?
Best Bets & Predictions
It’s hard to look past Spain, both in this fixture and at the World Cup this summer, but a friendly match a week before the tournament begins might not be the simple fixture it looks on paper. With that in mind, we’re only backing Spain to pick up the victory with a small handicap, as we believe they will pick up a comfortable, but not comprehensive, win.
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain -2 handicap | 4/6 @ Sky Bet (60%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | The odds suggest that a Spain victory by at least three goals looks likely but we’re being a bit more conservative and believe that Spain won’t have their foot fully on the gas pedal in this fixture. They should pick up a victory but it might be a little closer than many believe. |
| Yeremy Pino anytime goalscorer | 7/4 @ William Hill (36.4%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | It’s looking increasingly unlikely that Lamine Yamal doesn’t win his fitness battle ahead of the World Cup and that could hand Pino the chance to stake his claim for the right wing position for Spain. He’s impressed since his move to Crystal Palace but this friendly could give him the best chance to make his mark and force his way into Luis de la Fuente’s thinking. |
Odds correct at the time of writing.
How both sides head into Spain vs Iraq
Spain have suffered just one loss in their last 10 games, with that being the Nations League final against rivals, Portugal. Since that defeat they’ve proven their ability with seven clean sheets from eight games and comprehensive wins over Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey. It’s been an impressive period at both endsof the pitch, with Spain scoring an average of 3.1 goals per game over their last 10 games and conceding just 0.9 goals per game in that same period, although all nine goals they shipped in that time came in just three matches.
It’s hard to try and shape Iraq’s form as being quite as impressive but they have managed to win six of their last 10 games, including wins over UAE and Bolivia. The level of opposition hasn’t been as high as their opponents this week and losses to Algeria and Jordan and a draw with Saudi Arabia have shown they’ve struggled to pick up wins against sides that have also qualified for the World Cup this summer. Goals have been an issue, with an average of just 1.1 goals per game over their last 10, but they have conceded just 0.7 goals per game in that same period, suggesting that keeping things tight might be the best approach.
Head-to-Head: Last Meeting
These two sides have only met once previously, with Spain running out 1-0 winners in the 2009 Confederations Cup.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 17/06/09 | Spain 1-0 Iraq | Confederations Cup |
Conclusion: Can Spain stamp their authority or will they falter?
Spain really should be winning this game with relative ease but a mixture of pressure and squad rotation might make things a little more tricky for Luis de la Fuente’s side. We’re backing them on the handicap but we’re only willing to go as high as -2, priced at 4/6 with Sky Bet. Yeremy Pino to score anytime at 7/4 with William Hill looks like it might contain plenty of value.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
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