Spain were left stunned after being held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in their opening World Cup group stage fixture on June 15, 2026.
The result represented a historic moment for the African nation, who secured their first ever point on the world stage at the very first time of asking.
Cape Verde, known as the Blue Sharks, produced a disciplined and determined defensive display that kept one of the tournament’s favourites at arm’s length throughout the 90 minutes.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, who is 39 years old, was outstanding between the posts, finishing the match having made a total of seven saves to deny Spain repeatedly.
Despite facing enormous pressure, Cape Verde always looked capable of holding on, with their defensive structure proving difficult for the Spanish attack to break down.
However, the most remarkable statistic from the game surrounded Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who endured a night to forget in the Spanish attack.
According to Opta, Oyarzabal became the first player on record since 1966 to play the first 30 minutes of a FIFA World Cup match without touching the ball once.
The record is all the more striking given that Oyarzabal arrived at the tournament in impressive form, having contributed to 10 goals across eight qualifying matches.
When the Real Sociedad forward finally did get involved, a loose first touch broke down a half-chance as he attempted to get a shot away early in the move.
Oyarzabal finished the match with just 25 touches in total, managing five shots and completing eight of his 10 attempted passes across the entire game.
His difficulties were not simply a personal issue, but rather reflected the broader problems Spain encountered when trying to unlock a resolute Cape Verde defensive block.
Gavi and Ferran Torres operated out wide for the first 70 minutes, yet La Roja struggled to stretch their opponents and create meaningful space in the final third.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente will now hope that the return to fitness of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams can provide the creativity and width his side so desperately lacked.
Spain will need a significant improvement in their next fixture if they are to assert themselves as genuine World Cup contenders following this chastening opening result.
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