Spain v Turkey: De la Fuente's Bold Shuffle Aims to Seal a 2026 World Cup Berth

Preview and Stakes

The Spain national team is preparing to face a tough test against Turkey on Tuesday evening, at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville, on matchday six of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Spain needs at least a draw to seal their World Cup place officially, having conceded no goals so far in the qualifiers and having scored 19.

Spain sit on 15 points at the top of the group after five straight wins, while Turkey are second with 12 points.

Lineups and Tactics

De La Fuente opted for a somewhat refreshed starting XI, with Unai Simón in goal behind a back four that included a right-back, a central pairing, and a left-back to complete the structure.

In midfield, Álex García joined Fabián Ruiz as the anchors to sharpen ball control and build-up play.

The attack featured Yeremi Pino, Mikel Merino, and Dani Olmo behind the mobile striker Mikel Oyarzabal.

This setup followed four changes from the Georgia match, notably moving a full-back into a different slot and deploying García in midfield to boost possession and progression, while the forward line aimed to inject energy and speed into the transitions.

The starting XI for Spain was announced as follows:

Goalkeeper: Unai Simón

Defence: Marc Cucurella – Aymeric Laporte – Pau Torres – Marcos Llorente

Midfield: Álex García – Mikel Merino – Fabián Ruiz

Attack: Dani Olmo – Mikel Oyarzabal – Yeremi Pino

On the Turkey side, Vincenzo Montella named a markedly different lineup, opting for eight changes compared to the previous XI, with Altay Bayındır in goal and a defensive quartet led by Celik, Demiral, Suyunçu, and Kadıoglu.

In midfield, Orkun Kökçü was paired with Kahveci and Özcan, while the front three Deniz Yılmaz, Yilmaz, and Akaydin led the attack.

Montella’s rotation signals a desire to protect players ahead of the playoff phase and maintain balance across the squad.

Only three players kept their starting roles, a clear sign of rest and experimentation from the Italian coach, who also left out prominent names to avoid suspensions or resting fatigued stars for the decisive phase.

With these changes, Turkey aim to preserve balance and avoid injuries, while Spain look to finish the qualifiers in the best possible light.

Quotes from De La Fuente

Speaking to the Spanish channel Teledport, De La Fuente said: "Out of respect for the opponent, for all the nations, especially Turkey, we must stay humble; nothing is decided until it is achieved on the pitch, and we must continue with the same mindset to the end."

He expressed immense pride in his current squad after a near-perfect qualifying campaign, adding: "We have a strong reason to be proud of these players. I am fortunate to lead a generation with this historical quality. There is still much to do, and we want to achieve more and improve results. It’s wonderful to guide a young group that keeps working to develop."

The coach also addressed injuries that hit the squad during camp, noting that the situation opened doors for others: "Injuries give opportunities to faces who might not have featured otherwise, which is part of why Spanish football thrives: clubs develop high-level players, and we benefit from that work in selection and preparation."

De La Fuente commented on the omission of Houssin due to a minor muscle issue, stressing that the player’s health is the priority: "He is dealing with a slight discomfort. The priority is always protecting the player. We are in constant contact with the club doctors and will reassess him tomorrow with our medical staff."

He also spoke about the upcoming match at La Cartuja in Seville, urging fans to pack the stadium and back the team at a potentially decisive moment: "I hope the stadium looks spectacular, in typical Seville atmosphere. The players deserve it, and qualifying for the World Cup deserves it. We want the whole crowd to see a stadium fully behind the team. Seville never lets you down, and I hope that remains true again."

Humor break: If football had a safety net, it would be the offside trap—always there to remind you that even genius needs a little timing. Punchline 1: Spain’s attack is so fluid, even the clock asks for a break. Punchline 2: Turkey’s lineup changes are so frequent, they’ve started filing for frequent-flier miles just to find a stable starting XI.