Laporte backs Spain to stay the course after Cape Verde draw

Laporte: don't change a thing

Aymeric Laporte kept it simple after Spain's opening stumble. "Il ne faut rien changer", nothing needs to change, the centre-back said ahead of the second group match (1). Spain drew with World Cup debutants Cape Verde in Group H. Not the statement your team had in mind. But Laporte is backing the same approach that won the Euros.

Saudi Arabia on Sunday, no margin left

Your team face Saudi Arabia on Sunday, 21 June. That match and the Uruguay fixture are must-win (5). Spain sit in a Group H that will not wait for anyone to find their rhythm. The debuts against Cape Verde burned the safety net. Predicted lineups are circulating but de la Fuente has not shown his hand yet (4).

Merino back in full training

Mikel Merino returned to full Spain training after a long-term foot injury (3). The timing matters. With the group stage already at knife-point, having the Arsenal midfielder available gives de la Fuente an extra option in a squad that looked flat in the opener.

Fan reactions

Spain fans are turning a stat that has nothing to do with them into a sign of how strange this tournament already feels. June 19 saw every group-stage match end in a shutout, USA 2–0 over Australia, Morocco 1–0 over Scotland, Brazil 3–0 over Haiti, Paraguay 1–0 over Turkey, the first such day since 2018. Your team didn't play that day, but the mood in the threads is restless: a favourite that stumbles early draws more heat than an underdog that loses. Read the full thread.