World Cup 2026: Group H Preview
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
The best (and certainly most exciting) player on the planet right now might just be an 18-year old. Can Lamine Yamal shoulder the responsibility of keying Spain's attack, just as he did in their Euros triumph two years ago? Perhaps more relevantly, are Spain good enough to win even if he can't?
Spain 🇪🇸
FIFA Rank: 2nd
Qualified as: UEFA Group E winners
The Skinny
16 years ago in South Africa, the World Cup was held in a non-“football heritage” nation, which fielded many a grumble from European fans and players on the climate, the organization, and stadiums’ ability to accomodate high-level football. Yet, it was a European team Spain that entered the tournament as betting favorites despite never having won a World Cup, thanks to returning almost the entirely same squad that had won the Euros two summers prior. The year is now 2026. The World Cup will kick off next week, predominantly in a non-“football heritage” nation, which is already fielding many a grumble from European fans, players, and media on the climate, the organization, and stadiums’ ability to accomodate high-level football. Spain are entering the tournament as betting favorites despite having won just one World Cup, thanks to returning almost the entirely same squad that won the Euros two summers prior. Will history repeat itself? Well, if you think so, you’re one of many. La Roja are favorites for a reason: they were so clearly the class of the Euros in 2024— the last major international tournament we have to draw from— they’re deep at every position, they boast perhaps the most exciting young talent in the game right now, and even their women’s and youth teams have been addicted to winning lately. Everything’s coming up Spain of late, it seems. That said, there’s an air of the unpredictable around this tournament, and Spain are both a squad somewhat besotted by injury, and also with zero World Cup pedigree, having won a grand total of 3 matches (and none in the knockout stages) in the tournament since their 2010 triumph.
The Best XI
As just mentioned, the only “weakness” in this Spain squad is injuries, which first took out Spain's depth in defense, leaving the Real Madrid duo of Dani Carvajal and Dean Huijsen out of the squad along with Arsenal's Christian Mosquera, and now threatens their attack: both young phenom wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal sat out each of Spain's tune-up friendlies, and the latter hasn't played since injuring himself for Barcelona back in April. The two would be a massive loss, especially young Yamal, who at age 18 already essentially runs Spain's attack; the good news is they will likely be good to go for most of the tournament, if not right away. Yamal's far from the only Barca representative here; the Catalan club's fingerprints are all over this likely starting XI, with Ferran Torres the best choice to start up top, golden boy Pedri a shoo-in in midfield, and Eric García the likely CB to start alongside veteran Aymeric Laporte. Elsewhere, two-time reigning Champions League winner Fabian Ruiz is probably also a shoo-in to start in midfield, along with 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, recovered from the injury that kept him out for most of last season. In goal, Spain's man has typically been Unai Simon, and it very well may be at this tournament again, but Arsenal's David Raya has quietly become one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League; don't be surprised if he gets the nod between the sticks.
Cabo Verde 🇨🇻
FIFA Rank: 68th
Qualified as: CAF Group D winners
The Skinny
There are many, I being one of them, who were unhappy with FIFA’s decision to expand the tournament field from a perfect 32 to a clumsy 48. But one undoubtedly cool element about the biggest World Cup in history is the number of smaller nations getting their first opportunity to play in the most prestigious sporting event in the world, and Cape Verde (“Cabo Verde” in their native Portuguese) is certainly an example of that. The tiny island nation off the coast of West Africa hadn’t even come particularly close to qualifying for a World Cup before— they weren’t even a full member of FIFA until the 1990 World Cup cycle, having technically been a Portuguese colony up until 1978. Their breakthrough continentally came a little over a decade ago, as they stunned everyone with a quarterfinal run in their first ever major tournament, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. They got back to the quarterfinal stage in both the 2021 and 2023 editions of that tournament, and though they somehow failed to qualify for the 2025 edition altogether, they concurrently ran away with their qualifying group (a group that included heavy favorites Cameroon and two-time qualifiers Angola) to book a spot in this summer's World Cup. The Tubarões Azuis ("Blue Sharks") are of course the longshots in this group, but don't tell them they don't have a shot. This country of less than 500,000, dwelling across 10 islands in the middle of the Atlantic, have already defied all odds by being here; you can bet they won't be spooked by being the underdogs.
The Best XI
Unlike most other squads at this World Cup, there is zero domestic league representation in this teaml in fact, the 26 players on the final list are pretty far-flung in where they ply their trade. The majority play in Portugal, though, including star forward Dailon Livramento and veteran goalie Vozinha. Türkiye is well-represented, too: in both wingers, captain Ryan Mendes (Iğdır) and Nuno da Costa (Başakşehir), and in the right wing-back slot, where Wagner Pina will battle his Trabzonspor teammate Sidney Cabral for starting time. Pina's namesake Kevin is a midfielder at Krasnodar, and all-Europe midfield could include Jamiro Monteiro of Zwolle, and Deroy Duarte of Ludogorets Razgrad. The left side of the defense is sneaky good, too, with Steaua Bucharesti's João Paulo and Villarreal's Logan Costa's 35 caps playing together.
Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
FIFA Rank: 61st
Qualified as: 3rd place in AFC Group C;
topped Iraq and Indonesia in playoff
The Skinny
Yesterday I talked about Tunisiam being an "always in the World Cup, never in the knockout stages" team; well, that’s a zone Saudi Arabia has practically patented. They've appeared in 6 of the last 7 World Cups, and in every single one,Fascinatingly, though, they did actually reach the Round of 16 in their first-ever appearance, in 1994. You may recall that tournament as... being hosted in the United States, yes. An omen, perhaps? Well, al-'Akhdar ("The Green Ones") did score one of the most stunning upsets in recent Cup history last tournament, as they opened their affairs with a 2-1 win over eventual champions Argentina. They're once again matched up with the tournament favorite in their group this time around; should Spain be on alert? Could lightning strike twice? One thing's for certain, this is an experienced squad with a lot of familiarity between them, and perhaps more relevant than people would expect: they won’t be daunted by the sweltering Southern climate.
The Best XI
What's special about Lens right-back Saud Abdulhamid? Well, for one, he's a very good player. But more than that, he's the sole participant out of the 26 in Saudi Arabia's squad that doesn't play in the Saudi Pro League. Yes, this is a homegrown team through and through, with the "Big Four" of Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr very well-represented. In terms of the players poised to make an impact for this team, though, it's all about the "Big Three": forward Saleh Al-Shehri, winger (and captain) Salem Al-Dawsari, and midfielder Mohamed Kanno. The 3 veterans have over 200 caps between them, and have been at the forefront of most of Saudi Arabia's good results over the last 8 years. If al-'Akhdar are to have a breakthrough at this tournament, it will likely be the result of work from some or all of them.
Uruguay 🇺🇾
FIFA Rank: 17th
Qualified as: 4th in CONMEBOL
The Skinny
If you asked a footballing casual which Group H nation is the only one with two World Cups to its name, I expect just about everyone would guess Spain, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next most-guessed was perhaps the resource-rich Saudi Arabia. But, as we avid football fans know, it’s in fact Uruguay, who hosted and won the very first Cup nearly 100 years ago, and then secured a second title 20 years later in one of the most famous and stunning results in World Cup history. Granted, Uruguay haven't been back to the mountaintop in the last 76 years, but it's not like La Celeste have been laying dormant, either. In fact, there's a very good argument to be made that they were the consistent best in South America during the 2010s! As Brazil were fumbling around in identity crisis, and Argentina was vacillating between being brilliant but coming up just short (2014 World Cup, 2015 and 2016 Copa Americas) and being putrid (2011 Copa America, 2018 World Cup), Uruguay were taking everyone by storm with a 4th place finish at the 2010 World Cup, a Copa America title a year later, and quarterfinal appearances in each of the next two editions of both tournaments. It didn't hurt that from Diego Forlan to Luis Suarez to Edinson Cavani, they enjoyed a run of generational strikers, but the team's bread and butter over the last 16 years has been their stalwart defense. The last World Cup marked Uruguay's first real disappointment in some time, as they crashed out of Qatar in the group stages, having scored just 1 goal. After this, though, they split from longtime legenedary manager Oscar Washington Tabarez and brought in a coaching icon Marcelo Bielsa, whose frenetic, high-pressing style has completely revitalized this team. Two years ago in another supersized Copa America, Uruguay finished 3rd place, only losing in overtime in the semifinals to Colombia, and eliminating hosts USA in the process. Their qualifying campaign showed no signs of them stopping down either, as they booked their spots with multiple rounds left to play, and managed to escape the trio of Argentina, Brazil and Colombia with zero losses, home or away. That golden era of talent (the three aforementioned strikers, all-time defenders like Diego Godín, Sebastian Coates and Martín Caceres) is gone now, but a hearty blend of reliable veterans and talented youngsters makes La Celeste an intriguing watch this summer.
The Best XI
As I just said, it's a new-look Uruguay squad this time around; it will be weird to see them in a major tournament without Luis Suarez's enormous chompers leading the line, and indeed, the scant forward options are likely to cause some nerves among the Uruguay faithful, too. Darwin Nuñéz may not have panned out at Liverpool, but he's still the guy for the national team, and he's proven to be all the more effective in Bielsa's system. He's one of just two pure strikers in the team, but there's a bevy of attacking mids and wingers who will vie to be the ones joining him in attack. My money's on Sporting Lisbon's Maxi Araújo, and Giorgan de Arrascaeta, who was Uruguay's sole goalscorer at the 2022 Cup. At goalie, Fernando Muslera was named to the squad for a possible record-tying 5th World Cup appearance, but the starting job has predominantly been Internacional man Sergio Rochet for a while now. As for everything in between? In typical Uruguay fashion, rock solid. Real Madrid's Federico Valverde is the star man now, and he'll spearpoint a midfield with Premier League duo Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United) and Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham). And gone are the days of Godín, yes, but the veteran pairing of Barcelona's Ronald Araújo and captain José Giménez (Atlético Madrid) is one of the better center-back tandems in the tournament. The fullbacks are no slouch, either; keep an eye out for Napoli's Mathías Olivera as an attacking threat as well.
Group Schedule (all times ET)
6/15, Noon: Spain v Cabo Verde (Atlanta)
6/15, 6 PM: Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (Miami)
6/21, Noon: Spain v Saudi Arabia(Atlanta)
6/21, 6 PM: Uruguay v Cabo Verde (Miami)
6/26, 8 PM: Uruguay v Spain (Guadalajara) / Cabo Verde v Saudi Arabia (Houston)
Group Prediction
We all know this tournament has the ability to surprise, so this could age poorly, but: this feels like the most straightforward group we've predicted yet, and perhaps foremost among all 12. Spain are clearly the class of this group, and them not winning it would be a shock. Uruguay are not as good as Spain, but are clearly the next best team, and especially with de facto home-field advantage, will go through to the next round. The only real drama exists in who between Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia can claim 3rd place, and whether whoever does has done enough to qualify for the Round of 32. I can't speak to the latter, of course, but while Saudi Arabia is the safer and more established choice, I'm a believer in the Cabo Verde momentum. I think the Blue Sharks get a famous World Cup win on the last matchday to keep their longshot dreams alive.
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