Spain held by Iraq in final warm-up ahead of World Cup | OneFootball

Spain's final home match before the 2026 World Cup ended in frustration as Luis de la Fuente's side were held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq at the Riazor Stadium in La Coruña.

With several key players rested, including Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Rodri, Spain still controlled much of the contest and looked on course for victory after taking an early lead.

Ferran Torres continued his impressive form by finishing off a slick counter-attack in the 16th minute, racing through the middle before calmly firing beyond Iraqi goalkeeper Ahmed Basil.

Spain dominated possession throughout the opening period and nearly doubled their advantage when Torres struck the crossbar. However, Iraq punished a rare lapse in concentration midway through the half. Merchas Doski produced a superb effort from a difficult angle on the left side of the penalty area, catching Joan Garcia off his line and finding the net to level the scores.

The second half lacked the same intensity as both managers made numerous substitutions. Spain continued to see plenty of the ball but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a disciplined Iraqi defence. The visitors remained organised and limited the European champions to very few meaningful chances after the break.

While the result is unlikely to cause major concern given the experimental nature of Spain's line-up, De la Fuente will be hoping for a sharper display when La Roja face Peru in their final warm-up match before the World Cup begins. Iraq, meanwhile, can take confidence from a resilient performance against one of the tournament favourites.