Spain enters the 2026 World Cup as one of the tournament favorites, according to left-back Alex Grimaldo, who expressed confidence in the team’s ability to replicate the success of their earlier "Golden Generation." The European champions, who secured the continental title in 2024, will compete in Group H alongside debutants Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay at the tournament held in the United States.

Grimaldo, a Bayer Leverkusen player and Spain international since 2023, highlighted the team’s current form, noting that Spain remains unbeaten in 31 competitive matches—excluding penalty shootouts—since March 2023. This marks a significant improvement from recent World Cup performances, where Spain had failed to progress past the group stage in 2014 and exited in the round of 16 in both 2018 and 2022. Their last World Cup knockout victory dates back to Andres Iniesta’s decisive goal in the 2010 final.

The squad is bolstered by emerging talents such as Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and operates under the guidance of coach Luis de la Fuente. Grimaldo emphasized the team’s motivation and preparation heading into the tournament, stating that the focus is on performing well in each match, starting with their opener against Cape Verde.

Grimaldo’s own career trajectory has seen him develop into a key player both in club and country ranks. After progressing through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, he moved to Benfica before joining Bayer Leverkusen. At Leverkusen, he played a pivotal role in securing the club’s first-ever Bundesliga title and achieving a league and cup double during the 2023/24 season. Over three seasons in Germany, the 30-year-old has accumulated 30 goals and 45 assists from the left-back position.

Known for his attacking contributions and proficiency in dead-ball situations, Grimaldo has scored six free-kick goals over the past three seasons in Europe's top five leagues, a tally surpassed only by Lionel Messi. He identified his preferred shooting range as around 25 meters and acknowledged other notable set-piece specialists like Julian Alvarez and Dominik Szoboszlai for longer-distance strikes.

Despite his impressive form, Grimaldo remains the second choice for Spain’s left-back spot behind Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, a situation he attributes in part to his absence from La Liga and the English Premier League—two leagues that dominate the national team selection. While he has expressed a desire to eventually return to Spanish football, his immediate goal is to contribute to Spain’s quest for World Cup glory.

With a blend of experienced players and promising youth, Spain aims to end a 16-year wait to claim the sport’s most prestigious prize once again.