Spain and their ambition to win the 2026 World Cup.

The Spanish national team, led by Rodri and boasting the youthful talent of Lamine Yamal, makes no secret of its ambition to conquer the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The final version

At Qatar 2022, Luis Enrique led Spain , with the most influential figures in the dressing room, in order, being Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Koke, and Alvaro Morata.

After four years, a new generation of leaders has emerged. Rodri, Mikel Oyarzabal, Unai Simon, and Ferran Torres are now the captains of "La Roja".

Spain has completely changed compared to four years ago. Photo: SeFutbol

Unlike the usual caution seen in football, this quartet didn't hesitate to assert that Spain is capable of lifting the World Cup trophy in New York on July 19th.

When Luis de la Fuente officially took charge of the team in January 2023, just days after losing to Morocco on penalties in the Round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup, he also made changes to the leadership structure in the dressing room.

According to the tradition of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the player with the most appearances for the national team is given the responsibility of captain.

However, right from the first training camp, De la Fuente made an exception by including Mikel Oyarzabal in the leadership group. The Real Sociedad striker was a former pupil of his in the youth teams and had already established a leadership position at the club.

“I remain myself and always help whenever I can. The younger players also have their own roles. The more experienced ones just try to support the team,” Oyarzabal shared.

However, Oyarzabal later lost that special status. De la Fuente reverted to the traditional system based on appearances, and Unai Simon replaced him as captain.

It was with this group of leaders that Spain won EURO 2024 in Germany. However, the most important decisions at that time still received support from Alvaro Morata, Dani Carvajal, and Rodri – the only one of the three leaders still present.

De la Fuente stated: “ Carvajal and Morata played incredibly important roles. I hope they will return in the future. They left a great legacy of leadership, but the current generation is perfectly capable of continuing it.”

Spain is considered the top contender for the 2026 World Cup. Photo: SeFutbol

Morata also showed his commitment to the national team. After being left out of the preliminary 55-player squad for the 2026 World Cup , he visited the Las Rozas training center to wish his former teammates good luck before their departure.

Championship ambitions

Rodri also paid tribute to the senior players who led "La Roja," the generation that brought home the 2023 Nations League and EURO 2024 titles.

“We really miss Carvajal , ” Rodri said. “He brought a strong personality and competitive spirit. With Morata, we had a special connection. Now I’m the only one left from that group and I want to pass on what I’ve learned from them.”

One of the things Rodri learned from Morata was how to embrace and support the younger generation.

"The balance between youth and experience is key. Youth brings energy, boldness, and a fearless spirit. That's very positive for the team."

Rodri was not at all intimidated by the strong personalities or self-confidence of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. On the contrary, he saw them as a source of motivation for the entire team.

However, Rodri also acknowledged the significant challenge that lies ahead. The 2026 World Cup is the longest tournament in history, lasting up to five weeks for teams that reach the final.

“It will be difficult. But we approach it naturally because this is a great team. The coach also selects players based on their character , ” Rodri confided.

“There are times when things get long and tiring, but we always support each other. Nico and Lamine are the ones who lift someone’s spirits when they’re feeling down. The balance between youth and experience is key.”

Rodri confidently spoke about his ambition to win the championship. Photo: SeFutbol

Since De la Fuente took over, Spain has shown a harmonious blend of veterans and young players, and has abandoned its familiar reserve when talking about its goals.

De la Fuente stated frankly: “I’m being very clear. Are we among the contenders for the title? Yes. Are we capable of winning the World Cup? Yes. But that doesn’t guarantee anything . ”

Of course, he also cautioned: “There are still teams that are on par with or even stronger than us. France, England, Argentina, Brazil, and Portugal are all contenders like Spain. We want to compete for the top goal. But in football, even when you are superior, you can still lose.”

Rodri received the message, looking to the future but not forgetting the past: “After proving ourselves in Europe, now we want to prove we are the best team in the world. There is no bigger goal than that.”

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/doi-tay-ban-nha-va-tham-vong-vo-dich-world-cup-2026-2522157.html