Victory and an intact injury list—exactly what a final warmup should deliver
On the eve of a World Cup, a nation does not merely seek victory in its final rehearsal — it seeks confirmation. In Puebla, Mexico, Spain found both: a 3-1 win over Peru that answered tactical questions, preserved bodies, and restored the quiet confidence that a draw against Iraq had briefly unsettled. With their preferred lineup tested and no new injuries to mourn, Luis de la Fuente's side now turns toward Cape Verde and the tournament proper, carrying the particular calm of a team that knows, more or less, who it is.
- A frustrating draw against Iraq had left Spain needing more than a result — they needed a reset, and Puebla gave them one.
- Oyarzabal struck in the second minute and Pedri added a second before halftime, giving the match the shape of a dress rehearsal gone right.
- A precautionary substitution of Oyarzabal after a knock mid-match signaled De la Fuente's true priority: winning matters less than arriving whole.
- Peru pulled one back in the 66th minute as Spain's intensity faded and the bench rotated through, but the margin was never in doubt.
- Spain departs Mexico with a functional starting XI confirmed, three injured players expected to return, and a June 15 opener against Cape Verde squarely in their sights.
Spain arrived in Puebla needing to shake off the residue of a draw against Iraq. What followed was a composed, purposeful 3-1 victory over Peru — not spectacular, but exactly what a final World Cup warm-up should be.
Coach Luis de la Fuente fielded a lineup close to his intended tournament XI, with Unai Simón in goal, a back four of Llorente, Cubarsí, Laporte, and Cucurella, and Rodri, Fabián, and Pedri in midfield. Ferran Torres, Oyarzabal, and Álex Baena led the attack — the notable absences being Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz, all sidelined by injury.
Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the second minute with a precise left-footed strike from outside the box, threading Cubarsí's pass into the far corner. Pedri doubled the lead before halftime, finishing a flowing move that began with Rodri and ended with a cross from Ferran Torres. Spain went into the break in control and untroubled.
The third goal came early in the second half, though not by design — a cross from Yéremy Pino deflected off Peru's goalkeeper Gallese into his own net. With a three-goal cushion, De la Fuente rotated freely, cycling through Gavi, Dani Olmo, Merino, Borja Iglesias, and others. Peru took advantage of the loosened tempo to score through Vélez in the 66th minute, but it amounted to little more than a footnote.
Spain left Puebla with their preferred lineup tested, no new injuries, and De la Fuente's confidence that Yamal, Williams, and Muñoz would be fit for the June 15 opener against Cape Verde. For a squad on the threshold of a World Cup, that is precisely the kind of clarity a warm-up exists to provide.
Spain arrived in Puebla, Mexico, on the eve of the World Cup needing to shake off the sting of a draw against Iraq. What they got instead was a clean, commanding performance: a 3-1 victory over Peru that sent the squad toward their tournament debut with momentum intact and, more importantly, without a single new injury.
The match unfolded almost as a dress rehearsal. Coach Luis de la Fuente fielded what could easily be his opening lineup for the tournament, minus three players sidelined by injury—Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz. Unai Simón started in goal. The back line held Llorente, Cubarsí, Laporte, and Cucurella. Rodri, Fabián, and Pedri anchored the midfield. Up front: Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Álex Baena. It was a statement of intent, a chance to see how the team would move together when it mattered.
Oyarzabal announced himself immediately. In the second minute, Cubarsí threaded a pass between Peru's lines, and the Real Sociedad forward—already in form for his country—struck a left-footed shot from outside the box that found the far corner with precision. The goal erased any lingering frustration from the Iraq match. Thirty minutes later, after a flowing move that began with Rodri and ended with Ferran Torres sending a measured cross from the right, Pedri arrived to finish cleanly. Spain led 2-0 at halftime, and the team had moved through the first half without incident.
Oyarzabal did take a knock early in the second half—a boot to the leg after a corner—but he shook it off. De la Fuente substituted him anyway, a precaution that reflected the coach's priorities: test the team, but protect the players. The second half brought a third goal almost immediately, though not in the way Spain would have drawn it up. Yéremy Pino sent a cross from the right wing, and Peru's goalkeeper Gallese, attempting to clear, instead deflected the ball into his own net. It was the kind of error that happens in warm-ups, when concentration lapses and the margin for mistake widens.
With a three-goal lead, Spain's intensity naturally dropped. De la Fuente cycled through his bench—David Raya, Dani Olmo, Eric, Zubimendi, Pubill, Gavi, Merino, Borja Iglesias, Grimaldo, and Pedro Porro all saw minutes. Peru, no longer chasing the game so desperately, found space. In the 66th minute, Vélez finished a pass from Marcos López to make it 3-1, a consolation that reflected the rhythm of a friendly in its final stages rather than any Spanish vulnerability.
The scoreline held. Spain left Puebla with a win, with their preferred starting XI tested and functional, and with no fresh injuries to report. Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz remain sidelined, but De la Fuente expressed confidence they would be available for the tournament opener against Cape Verde on June 15. For a team preparing for the World Cup, that combination—victory, clarity about personnel, and an intact injury list—is exactly what a final warm-up should deliver.
Notable Quotes
De la Fuente expressed confidence that Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz would be available for the tournament opener despite current absences— Coach Luis de la Fuente
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a 3-1 win over Peru matter more than the scoreline suggests?
Because De la Fuente got to see his likely starting eleven move together for 45 minutes without anyone getting hurt. That's the real victory in a warm-up. The goals are secondary.
Oyarzabal looked sharp. Is he a centerpiece of Spain's World Cup plans?
He's been in form for his country, and this match showed why. But the bigger picture is that Spain has depth. Pedri scored, the midfield controlled the game, the defense was solid. It's not about one player.
The own goal from Gallese—does that tell us anything about Peru's readiness?
It tells us Peru was already beaten by that point. A goalkeeper doesn't make that mistake in a match that matters. It's the kind of thing that happens when you're chasing three goals.
De la Fuente made a lot of substitutions. Was he testing depth or just managing minutes?
Both. He cycled through nearly his entire squad in the second half. That's smart management before a tournament—you want everyone sharp, everyone feeling like they've contributed.
What's the significance of leaving Mexico without new injuries?
Everything. You can't replace a player two weeks before the World Cup. A clean bill of health means De la Fuente goes into Cape Verde with his full arsenal available, or close to it.
Does Spain feel like a favorite now?
They feel like a team that knows what it's doing. That's different. They have experience, technical quality, and now they have rhythm. Whether that's enough depends on who else shows up.