Spain

Spain's position as co-favorite for the 2026 World Cup is built on the most compelling generational story in international football: a nation that dominated the sport with tiki-taka between 2008 and 2012 has found its second coming, and this time the conductor is a teenager who was not even born when Andrés Iniesta lifted the 2010 World Cup trophy in Johannesburg. Lamine Yamal turns 19 during the 2026 tournament. At 18, he already has 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 international appearances, numbers that no Spanish player — including the great Xavi, Iniesta, or David Villa — produced at the same age. His 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up finish confirmed what Barcelona supporters and La Roja fans had been saying for two years: this is not a promising young player, this is a complete footballer who happens to be a teenager. His partnership with Pedri in Barcelona's attacking system has been replicated at international level under manager Luis de la Fuente, and Spain's Euro 2024 triumph — where they beat every opponent they faced without a single loss — demonstrated that this is not a squad dependent on one player's brilliance but a genuine collective. The statistical spine of Spain's setup is Rodri, the Manchester City defensive midfielder who was the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner and provides the positional intelligence that allows the team to press high without defensive exposure. Nine Barcelona players in the squad ensures club-level cohesion that translates directly to international play — an advantage Spain held during their 2008-2012 dynasty and has now rebuilt. Group H offers manageable opposition in Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde. The primary fitness concern is Yamal's hamstring, which has been monitored closely through the 2025-26 club season. A fully fit Yamal in tournament form makes Spain the most complete team in the competition. Opta AI ranks them as the single most likely winners at 16.08 percent probability.