Spain drew 1-1 with Iraq in a 2026 FIFA World Cup warm-up match in an impressive performance against one of the tournament favourites.
As expected, Spain controlled possession from the opening whistle and almost took the lead inside the first 10 minutes. Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil reacted brilliantly to keep out Alex Baena’s effort after the ball slipped through the defence.
The breakthrough arrived after 15 minutes. A clever attacking move saw Borja Iglesias step over the ball, allowing Ferran Torres to collect possession and drive forward before finishing calmly to give Spain the advantage.
Iraq refused to be intimidated and found a memorable equaliser in the 27th minute. Left-back Merchas Doski scored his first international goal with a bold strike from a tight angle that flew over goalkeeper Joan Garcia and into the net.
Spain continued to create chances before the break. Basil denied Dani Olmo after an excellent pass from Torres, while the goalkeeper later produced another outstanding save to tip a powerful Torres effort onto the crossbar.
Both managers made numerous changes after half-time as they assessed their squads ahead of the World Cup. Spain remained the more dangerous side, with Jesus Rodriguez firing narrowly wide and Yeremy Pino creating a chance that debutant Jon Martin could not convert.
Gonzalo Garcia also went close from a Baena delivery, but the flow of the game was disrupted by further substitutions from both benches.
Despite Spain’s pressure, Iraq defended with discipline and determination to secure a valuable draw. The result extended Iraq’s unbeaten run to three matches and provided another boost ahead of their first World Cup appearance since 1986, where they will face Norway, France and Senegal in the group stage.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente admitted Iraq exceeded his expectations.
“We wanted a game with a strong physical component, something that helped the players adapt. No injuries – that’s important. Now we enter a new phase with more intensity and more players contributing,” he said.
De la Fuente also praised Iraq’s display.
“They surprised me in a very positive way. We struggled in the first half to stop their progressions. They’re an interesting team with a lot of energy. They pushed us and made things complicated.”
While Spain extended their strong run to just one defeat in their last 29 matches, Iraq left with plenty of confidence after matching one of international football’s leading nations ahead of the World Cup.
