Spain vs Iraq Prediction
🔊 What kind of shape are one of the World Cup favourites in ahead of the tournament? This Thursday, the national teams of Spain and Iraq will square off in a friendly match at the Riazor Stadium in La Coruña. Notably, the “Lions of Mesopotamia” have also qualified for the World Cup finals, so their preparations for the tournament warrant close attention. Bookmakers see little room for intrigue here, giving La Roja overwhelming odds-Spain are 30-to-1 favourites to win.
Head-to-Head
📊 These sides have only faced each other once before, back in 2009 during the Confederations Cup. On that occasion, a decisive strike from David Villa settled the contest at 1-0. Whether the “Lions of Mesopotamia” can pull off a shock result this time remains to be seen.
Spain Team Overview
🔴 La Roja are rightly regarded as one of the world’s elite national teams and enter the 2026 World Cup as leading title contenders. Fresh off their Euro 2024 triumph, Luis de la Fuente is determined to cement his legacy with a historic World Cup run. Spain cruised through qualifying, keeping five clean sheets in six matches. Interestingly, they currently sit second in the FIFA world rankings, just a single point behind France. Much of the nation’s hopes rest on Lamine Yamal, with the upcoming tournament set to be the first World Cup for the young Spanish sensation. However, the 18-year-old prodigy is almost certain to miss not only the pre-tournament friendly but also one or two group stage openers.
Match Results: Spain
Iraq Team Overview
🦁 The “Lions of Mesopotamia” have only made a single appearance at the World Cup, way back in 1986. That year, Iraq lost all their group stage matches and exited the tournament early. Currently, the team is managed by renowned Australian coach Graham Arnold, which adds intrigue to what Iraq might achieve during this World Cup campaign. The “Lions of Mesopotamia” are ranked 57th in the FIFA World Rankings. Their most valuable player is Ahmed Hashem (Nashville SC, €3.5 million).
Match Results: Iraq
⚽ Goals Prediction
Let's take a closer look at the average goals conceded by each side over their last ten matches: La Roja have allowed 0.8 per game, while the “Lions of Mesopotamia” have conceded 0.7. Notably, four of Iraq’s last five fixtures have featured no more than two goals in total. Our editorial team anticipates a measured tempo and a modest goal tally here. We’re backing the following market - under 4 total goals at odds of 1.62*.
🚩 Corner Kicks Prediction
Spain are renowned for their wing play and proactive tactical approach. Just look at their recent corner stats: over the last ten games, La Roja have averaged 6.7 corners won against only 2.6 conceded. In contrast, Iraq’s numbers are less impressive - 3.7 won versus 5.1 allowed. A well-founded bet is - Spain over 7.5 corners at odds of 1.99*.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
Editorial Prediction
Friendly matches rarely reveal the full tactical plans or ambitions of teams ahead of a World Cup campaign. Instead, they serve as rehearsals to build team chemistry and help players reach peak physical condition. With that in mind, we don’t expect Spain to cruise to a lopsided win here, despite the clear difference in quality between the sides. Graham Arnold’s squad have already shown they can hold their own defensively against top opposition. A narrow scoreline-perhaps a 1-0 finish-seems likely. The main bet is Iraq with a +3.5 handicap.
Betting Tips: Spain - Iraq
in 23 of last 24 games (Int. Friendly Games).in 18 of last 19 home games (Int. Friendly Games).in 7 of last 8 games (Int. Friendly Games).
in last 17 Iraq games (Int. Friendly Games).in last 13 Iraq away games (Int. Friendly Games).in 14 of last 16 Spain games (Int. Friendly Games).
in last 5 Florian Badstubner games..svg)
Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
