Spain is set for a final warm-up this Monday evening, taking on Peru at Mexico’s Cuauhtémoc Stadium just before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off.
La Roja currently leads the pack as +450 favorites to secure the Jules Rimet Trophy on bet365, holding a narrow edge over France at +500.
Though young standout Lamine Yamal nears a return to action, he is sidelined for this friendly alongside teammates Victor Munoz and Nico Williams.
Head coach Luis de la Fuente indicated that Yamal might play “just a few minutes” in their June 15 Group H Cup opener against Cabo Verde.
The 2024 European title holders will also navigate matches against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the opening round.
Spain vs. Peru prediction, odds
Spain enters this match unbeaten for over a year but has underperformed in its last two friendlies. In late March, Spain played a scoreless draw against Egypt, and on June 4, it finished with a 1-1 draw against Iraq.
Several key players, including 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri Hernandez and top scorer Mikel Oyarzabal, sat out the Iraq game for rest. PSG’s Fabian Ruiz is also expected to rejoin de la Fuente’s lineup after missing previous friendlies.
They face a Peru team that will be missing its second consecutive World Cup under coach Mano Menezes.
Their most notable achievements include qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, ending a 36-year drought, and reaching the 2019 Copa América final. The two-time Copa America winner has faced challenges in establishing stability this decade.
Although of late, they have shown signs of resurgence in recent friendlies, narrowly losing to Senegal 2-0 in March and beating Haiti 2-1 last week, with goals from Renzo Garces and Jairo Velez.
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Nevertheless, their poor 2-6-10 record in CONMEBOL play prevented them from capturing one of the six South American spots for World Cup qualification.
Since Spain isn’t at full strength and Peru is basically playing with house money, betting on under 3.5 goals seems reasonable. However, I prefer taking Oyarzabal to score at -112 odds.
The 29-year-old is finally making his World Cup debut this Summer after recovering from an ACL injury that sidelined him at Qatar 2022.
Since 2024, he has scored six goals with seven shots on target in four friendly games for Spain.
The Plays: Mikel Oyarzabal anytime goalscorer (-112, Caesars Sportsbook) | Oyarzabal to be first goalscorer (+300, bet365)
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