While followers using 12BSports VR46 entered the match wondering how Spain would cope without Lamine Yamal, Luis de la Fuente’s side answered the question emphatically with a 3-1 victory over Peru. Losing a 17-year-old talent capable of deciding games on his own naturally created concern, yet Spain never looked dependent on one individual. Instead, La Roja controlled possession, forced Peru deep for long stretches and showed that their strongest weapon may be the structure surrounding their stars rather than any single player.
De la Fuente’s starting XI also offered a strong indication of how he could approach the June 16 meeting with Cape Verde. Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella formed the defensive line, while Rodri partnered Fabian Ruiz at the base of midfield. Pedri operated further forward as the main link between midfield and attack, with Ferran Torres and Baena taking the wide roles and Mikel Oyarzabal leading the line.
Those selections immediately placed extra attention on Ferran and Baena because they were effectively filling the spaces normally occupied by Yamal and Nico Williams. Ferran has never been guaranteed a regular starting position at Barcelona, while Baena has often faced criticism from supporters who question both his physical presence and technical consistency. For many national teams, replacing two explosive first-choice attackers with that pair might dramatically reduce the threat. Spain, however, hardly missed a beat.
That contrast says a great deal about De la Fuente’s system. Spain are not constructed around the idea that one exceptional footballer must constantly rescue the team. Their shape, passing patterns and movement give individuals room to make mistakes without the entire structure falling apart. The system itself provides a margin for error, which is especially important in tournament football when injuries and suspensions can quickly change a starting lineup.
The opening goal provided a perfect example of Spain’s ability to attack without unnecessary complication. Only 120 seconds had passed when Cubarsi drilled a direct pass forward toward Oyarzabal. The striker controlled the ball, turned quickly and sent a left-footed finish from the edge of the penalty area into the top-right corner. From the initial pass to the shot, the entire sequence lasted less than three seconds. There were no wasted touches and no elaborate combination for the sake of it.
That finish extended Oyarzabal’s scoring streak for Spain to six consecutive international matches. He may not attract the same attention in La Liga as some of Spain’s more glamorous attacking names, but within the national team he has become an extremely dependable source of goals. His international form also illustrates how different tactical environments can reveal different sides of a player. A club system can sometimes hide certain strengths, while the more direct demands of international football can bring them sharply into focus.
Oyarzabal does not require endless passing exchanges around the penalty area. Give him space and one clean opportunity to shoot, and he can finish the job. Spain’s midfield is particularly well suited to creating those moments because Rodri, Pedri and Fabian can control the ball long enough to draw opponents out before finding the forward players in more dangerous areas.
Ferran’s performance offered another example. His appearances on Barcelona’s right side have rarely produced sustained dominance, yet with Spain he looked far more comfortable. He reached the byline and delivered a precise low cross that allowed Pedri to score, then later moved inside from the right before sending a low effort narrowly wide of the post.
The difference is largely about responsibility. Spain do not ask Ferran to become the primary creator whenever he receives possession on the right. His assignment is much simpler: move into the correct area and deliver the ball into the right zone. Pedri can arrive from midfield, Oyarzabal can attack space ahead of him and Rodri remains positioned behind the move to protect against transitions.
That clarity makes Ferran a more effective international player. Instead of constantly deciding how to construct an entire attack, he can focus on the specific actions that suit him. For Spain’s World Cup plans, a player who understands exactly what is expected of him may prove far more useful than one who appears uncertain about his responsibilities at club level.
Anyone following the tactical pattern through 12BSports VR46 could also see that Spain’s control was not simply reflected in the three goals they scored. Peru spent much of the contest struggling to establish meaningful possession because Spain repeatedly won the midfield battle before attacks could develop.
Rodri’s positioning, interceptions and distribution combined with Pedri’s movement between the lines to create a central barrier that Peru rarely managed to break. Pedri linked attacks from a more advanced midfield position, while Rodri provided security behind him and dictated where Spain’s next phase would begin. The result was sustained territorial control rather than a match decided only by finishing quality.
Peru did create a couple of dangerous moments. In the 33rd minute, Ugariza managed to round Unai Simon before shooting into the side netting. Eight minutes later, Simon was required to collect a headed attempt. Yet those opportunities felt more like brief openings in Spain’s grip than evidence of sustained pressure. Peru were able to breathe only when Spain temporarily loosened control of the tempo.
Despite the comfortable result, three concerns remain before the competitive matches become more demanding. The first is Nico Williams’ injury. Spain’s left flank has been one of their most explosive attacking routes, and removing Nico from that side naturally reduces its ceiling. Without him, Spain must rely more heavily on Cucurella’s forward movement or introduce Gavi from the bench to provide additional energy and creativity.
The second question surrounds Baena. Some of the criticism directed at him may be exaggerated, but concerns about his inconsistency are not entirely without foundation. In the 16th minute, he found himself unmarked in a promising position and completely missed the ball with his right foot. A mistake of that kind can disappear quickly in a warm-up match, but the same wasted opportunity in a World Cup knockout game could carry a much heavier cost.
The third issue emerged after the break. De la Fuente had made all 11 substitutions before the 70th minute, understandably using the friendly to assess as many players as possible. The downside was a clear decline in Spain’s rhythm during the closing stages. Peru eventually pulled one goal back as La Roja lost some of the coordination and authority that had defined their earlier play.
That drop offered a reminder that Spain’s depth may not be quite as overwhelming as it first appears. The starting structure can absorb the absence of major names, but replacing almost an entire team at once exposed a gap between the cohesion of the preferred group and the players further down the squad. For a warm-up fixture, that is hardly a crisis. It is simply valuable information for De la Fuente before the stakes rise.
Crucially, none of those concerns appears to be a fundamental structural problem. Nico’s absence changes the attacking threat on the left, Baena still has details to improve and the second unit requires greater chemistry, but those are issues that can be adjusted during the final week. Spain’s core mechanisms remained intact throughout the most meaningful parts of the performance.
The 3-1 victory therefore gave De la Fuente a reassuring answer to one of the biggest questions surrounding his squad. Spain do not necessarily require Yamal or Nico to control opponents at Cape Verde’s level. With Rodri and Pedri forming the central foundation and Oyarzabal providing the finishing touch, the team already possesses enough quality and tactical control to dictate matches without relying entirely on its most celebrated young attackers.
As fans following 12BSports VR46 look toward the next stage of Spain’s campaign, the more demanding examinations are still ahead, with Saudi Arabia and Uruguay presenting tougher challenges in the group. Peru provided useful evidence rather than a final verdict, but the message from this 3-1 win was difficult to miss. Spain’s alternatives are functioning, their midfield remains capable of suffocating opponents, and a Plan B this effective could easily look like Plan A for many other national teams.