Spain entered Group H as a five‑time European champion and World Cup winner, facing World Cup debutants Cape Verde, a nation of roughly 500,000 people. The match in Qatar ended 0‑0, leaving the footballing world remarkably stunned as the €50 million‑budget side failed to break a single defensive line. Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha kept a clean sheet with seven saves.

Cape Verde dominated possession, registering 74 percent and completing 27 shots for an xG of 2.7, while Spain managed only 16 passes in the final third. Defenders Diney Borges and Pico Lopes out‑worked their Spanish counterparts, with Lopes clearing eleven balls and denying Mikel Oyarzabal late on. The team committed a single foul, the fewest in a World Cup match since 1966.

Spain’s attack sputtered; Mikel Oyarzabal touched the ball only after 31 minutes and the side recorded a single shot on target before the 38th minute. Substitute Lamine Yamal injected pace, but the lack of width exposed tactical frailties. The stalemate leaves Spain needing adjustments before the knockout round against a technically superior opponent, while Cape Verde’s display fuels belief for the remainder of Group H.