Spain’s World Cup 2026 Berth: Historic Unbeaten Streaks Rise Under De La Fuente After Turkey Draw

Spain Qualifies for the World Cup 2026 after 2-2 Draw with Turkey

Spain kept their positive run under manager Luis de la Fuente, extending La Roja's impressive run in both official fixtures and European qualifiers. The team sealed their World Cup 2026 berth with a 2-2 draw against Turkey at Seville's La Cartuja.

Record-Breaking Numbers and Key Performers

Spain's official unbeaten streak under De la Fuente reached 26 matches (20 wins, 6 draws), closing in on the 31-game benchmark set by Javier Clemente from 1994-1997. The national team has now gone 31 matches without defeat in official fixtures (26 wins, 5 draws), surpassing Spain's 2010-2013 stretch under Vicente del Bosque. In these qualifiers, Spain also extended their home record to 64 unbeaten games with 53 wins and 11 draws, an 83 percent success rate. The side has scored in 63 of 64 home matches in these qualifiers, with Ireland in 1992 the only exception.

Oyarzabal's influence has grown to 10 direct contributions (6 goals, 4 assists) in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, placing him behind Haaland and Depay in Europe’s top contributory list. Olmo's international tally stands at 12 goals in 46 appearances since 2019, ranking him among Spain's top scorers in this period. In the Seville match, Olmo and Oyarzabal found the net in the 4th and 62nd minutes, while Deniz Gul and Salih Ozkan answered for Turkey in the 42nd and 54th minutes. Spain now sits on 16 points atop Group 5, while Turkey has 13 points in second place and heads toward a playoff berth.

The match showcased Spain's early dominance, with Olmo scoring inside four minutes and several near misses tightening the narrative. Turkey mounted a second-half resurgence, briefly moving in front before Oyarzabal’s late equalizer secured the 2-2 result. The result preserves Spain’s lead in the group and confirms the World Cup berth with matches still to play in the qualifiers.

Spain’s defense and midfield control were evident throughout, underscoring De la Fuente’s strategic imprint. The clash also underlined the continued importance of standout players who have driven the team’s recent success on the road to 2026.

Punchline 1: Spain’s defense is so tight that even a sniper would need a permit to peek through the net—goalkeepers filed a restraining order against any stray shots.

Punchline 2: De la Fuente’s tactics are so sharp that even my calendar would rather miss a day than miss a pass—gridiron precision, but with footballs.