Spain take on the visitors Croatia in the round 1 match of UEFA Euro-2026 in group B. The match will be played on Saturday, June 15th at Olympiastadion (Berlin).
Spain confidently secured their place at the Euro, which was expected given their relatively manageable group of opponents like Norway, Cyprus, Georgia, and Scotland. Interestingly, "La Roja" even managed to lose to Scotland away (0-2). The playing style of the Spanish national team has two distinct monikers. When everything clicks and they win, it's dubbed "intricate play." However, if they struggle to create and convert chances, this style is often labeled as "possession without penetration." Don't be surprised if, against the highly experienced Croatia at the Euro, we witness the latter scenario. It's worth ignoring the June thrashings of Northern Ireland (5-1) and Andorra (5-0) by Spain as these teams are of a much lower caliber. Instead, consider a more recent friendly against Colombia, where the South Americans didn't allow Spain to create any clear scoring opportunities and won 1-0. This was largely due to disciplined and intelligent defensive and midfield play. Moreover, one recurring issue for Spain in major matches is the lack of a consistent goal-scoring forward, a role that Morata may not be fit for.
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The "Chequered Ones" peaked at the World Cup in Russia, winning silver medals. They went to the World Cup in Qatar as veterans, with many experts writing them off beforehand. However, they reached the semifinals and secured bronze. The core and leaders of the team are still the same as two years ago – Modric, Kovacic, and Brozovic. Additionally, Vida, Perisic, and Kramaric are still active. Zlatko Dalic remains the head coach. Croatia's main strength is their experience. For the current squad, the trip to Germany is a farewell tour, and the team veterans will do everything to avoid embarrassment. They won't bother trying to dominate possession against Spain. Their main goal is to exhaust the Spanish runners and prevent them from creating anything threatening. On the other hand, a goal could come from any of Dalic's players through a well-executed counter-attack or a set piece.
Of course, some might point out that in the relatively recent Nations League final (a tournament of questionable interest), Spain and Croatia played out a goalless draw in regulation time, suggesting that we shouldn't expect many goals now either. Others might recall the thrilling match between these teams at the last Euro, where they also drew in regular time but with a 3-3 scoreline. Bookmakers favor "La Roja" as the favorites in this matchup. Initially, I considered betting on "Both Teams to Score" (BTTS). However, based on everything mentioned above, I'm opting for a Croatia goal. One goal from this hardworking, disciplined, and seemingly ageless team seems more likely to me than a precise strike from the ball-passing Spaniards with Morata as their spearhead.
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes.
