Spain debuts this Wednesday (5:00 p.m.) in the Qatar 2022 World Cup against Costa Rica at the Al Thumama stadium, a duel corresponding to Group E of the championship. The team wants to start its journey on the right foot and end with a terrible statistic: it has not won a World Cup debut since June 14, 2006, when it exhibited authority against Ukraine (4-0).
Luis Enrique will be able to count on almost all his troops for the debut against Costa Rica. The coach has to decide if Álvaro Morata and Dani Carvajal, who have suffered from colds that have affected them in the last two days, are in a position to start. In the case of the Valencian Hugo Guillamón, despite the fact that he has overcome his knee ailment, he is not expected at the premiere.
The technician is not clear about the starting eleven. Luis Enrique, who places great value on what he sees in his players in each training session, acknowledged that although he had a prior idea, the starting team will not decide to start the World Cup until the morning of the game.
"I will choose the players neither for their physique nor for their tactics. I have seen them at such a great level of competitiveness, the training sessions are being spectacular, they know that by training they will earn their place. In the match we will have it easier than training. I will choose based on the feeling I have. Tomorrow morning I will decide with my 'staff' based on what the eleven players expect from the game", he explained at the previous press conference.
Whoever plays, it will not be an easy game. Spain has not won a World Cup debut since June 14, 2006 when they showed authority against Ukraine, mercilessly thrashing 4-0 with goals from Xabi Alonso, a brace from David Villa with a penalty and the finishing touch from Fernando Torres. It was the fourth start of a World Cup with a Spanish victory.
Four draws and seven defeats, with 24 goals for and the same number against, complete the statistics for Spain in their first match in a World Cup. The most recent, a draw in Russia 2018 in a match that measured the punch against Portugal in Sochi (3-3).
The statistics are not encouraging, although they acknowledge that a victory in their debut would give them "tranquility", according to captain Sergio Busquets, at the press conference prior to the first match of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. "Winning the first match gives you that point of tranquility to start with three points, but it does not guarantee you anything. We started losing and we have won a World Cup. But it can help us face what follows", he pointed out.
For its part, Costa Rica wants to spoil the party for Spain. "It's a very difficult match, Costa Rica is going to compete very well, football is rooted in it. We know their individualities, the experience of players like Keylor Navas, Duarte or Campbell who know how to compete in World Cups. They're going to get us into complications", predicted Luis Enrique.
In its debut against Costa Rica, the team will wear red in its entirety. This is how Luis Enrique revealed it live on Twitch: shirt, pants and socks of the same color at his request to the Federation.
"I have asked the sports director because in the end you leave the competitions playing more in white than in red, and we are 'la Roja'. I asked if it could be managed and tomorrow we are going to play in full red. The kit is beautiful I hope he gives us the fury and the race to play those three games and then four more dressed in red. I love it," he said in a response to a fan.
In full red, Spain will debut in the Qatar 2022 World Cup at 5:00 p.m. against Costa Rica. The match can be seen on TV on RTVE's La 1 and can also be followed live on the La Vanguardia website.
