Sixteen years on, Spain are again in a World Cup final. La Roja will try to forget the three World Cups in between, in which they did not win a single knockout match — going out once in the group stage and twice in the last 16. Under Luis de la Fuente the team has finally returned to form, reaching a World Cup final for the second time since 2010. De la Fuente’s Spain, taking the field on 19 July, has much in common with Del Bosque’s side of 16 years ago: both entered the World Cup as European champions and, starting as favourites, stumbled in their first match — Spain lost to Switzerland in 2010 and drew with Cape Verde in 2026.
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (captain), 29, versus Unai Simón, 29. Casillas was then Spain’s captain and a Champions League winner with Real Madrid; Simón is less experienced but a favourite of de la Fuente, and has conceded only one goal this World Cup, with clean sheets in six matches and a run of 602 minutes without conceding across two World Cups.
Full-backs: Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila (24 and 32) versus Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella (26 and 28). After disappointing seasons at Tottenham and Chelsea, little was expected of Porro and Cucurella — the pair were seen as de la Fuente’s biggest weakness — but they have flipped the script, becoming one of the tournament’s threats in goals and assists. Ramos, the best dribbler of the 2010 World Cup with 31 successful dribbles, and Capdevila balanced defence and attack.
Centre-backs: Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué (32 and 23) versus Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsí (32 and 19). Many see the shadow of the Puyol-Piqué pairing in Laporte-Cubarsí: the 2010 pair conceded two goals, while Laporte-Cubarsí have conceded just one. Puyol was more experienced than his equal-aged Laporte, but the way Cubarsí shut down the Mbappé-Dembélé-Olise trio puts him slightly ahead going into the final.
Defensive midfield: Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso (22 and 28) versus Rodri (captain) and Fabián Ruiz (30 and 30). The 2010 World Cup was Busquets’s breakthrough; with Alonso he protected the defence and turned matches with long passes. In 2026 that space is held by Ballon d’Or winner Rodri and two-time Champions League winner Fabián Ruiz, who, though not at Busquets-Alonso’s unique heights, have done their jobs meticulously, so Spain’s midfield has faced no trouble.
Attacking midfield: Xavi and Iniesta (30 and 26) versus Dani Olmo and Álex Baena (28 and 25). Olmo and Baena have made the difference in every Spain match this tournament, but no one is near the Xavi-Iniesta pairing — Xavi’s pass set up Puyol’s semi-final goal in 2010, and Iniesta’s final goal brought Spain the elusive title. Olmo and Baena now have the chance to repeat that.
Attack: David Villa and Pedro (28 and 23) versus Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal (19 and 29). An experienced hand alongside a young Turk — Spain’s attack is set up the same way 16 years on, though somewhat reversed. Yamal, the team’s new face, has scored just one goal, while Oyarzabal scores about one every two matches; fans will hope for something special from the Yamal-Oyarzabal pairing in the final.
Coach: Vicente del Bosque, 59, versus Luis de la Fuente, 65. Older but far more experienced, Del Bosque had won the Champions League with Real and won the World Cup in his first major tournament by playing a completely different style. De la Fuente is comparatively less experienced but has grown up with Spanish teams, working with one Spain side or another for the past 13 years, winning the Euro and reaching the Nations League final with this team.
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