Let the World Cup start already!

Luis de la Fuente has no doubts. You can almost read his mind, without the need for hypnosis: “Let the World Cup start already.” He has talent in abundance, young players full of hunger and, above all, a team where it hardly matters who comes in or out. More than a team, it’s a finely tuned machine.

The 3-0 win over Serbia, on what was supposed to be Finalissima night, confirms the strong impression Spain are making two and a half months before the World Cup begins. With humility and full respect for their opponents, but it feels like everyone in Spain is thinking more or less the same as their coach: “Just let the World Cup start already!”

Once the Finalissima bubble had burst, that kind of birthday party where the gift never arrived, Spain turned to Serbia as their opponent for Friday, March 27, a date that had been circled for weeks. A team that failed to qualify for the World Cup and is coached by someone who knows Spanish soccer inside out, both as a player and as a coach: Veljko Paunović.

His departure from Real Oviedo hurt many, who didn’t understand the decision when the calendar had barely turned to October. Just eight matchdays played and out he went. That simple for some, that surprising for most. Now, with Serbia’s crest stitched on his chest, he is trying to build a team capable of competing with the game’s elite. Spain, then, looked like the ideal opponent: a team with trophies in the bag, talent and young blood, and ambitions of winning it all at the tournament just around the corner.

The Estadio de la Cerámica in Villarreal provided a strong stage for both sides. The ball tends to move smoothly on that surface, with Villarreal CF faithful to its flowing style regardless of the opponent. Álex Baena knows that philosophy well, the former Villarreal standout now at Atlético Madrid, and he was handed a starting spot by De la Fuente. The Roquetas de Mar native was one of the new faces, along with Pau Cubarsí, Marcos Llorente and Fermín López. All three had earned their opportunity.

Cubarsí has established himself as a key piece in a defense that Hansi Flick often leaves exposed at Barcelona. What Marcos Llorente does defies description, multiplying himself every game to the delight of Diego Simeone, whether at right back or further forward. And Fermín… Fermín is Fermín: an extra set of lungs in midfield, the closest thing to Gavi until he returns to La Roja, with a knack for finding the net from anywhere.

Spain looked sharp from the first minute, and not just because of the new kit, that burgundy and off-white already showing up on the streets and even, in tracksuit form, on a few DJs. Those good feelings started with Rodri, flowed through Pedri and created a new partnership between Llorente and Fermín, a constant headache for Edin Terzić down Spain’s right flank.

A masterpiece and a left-foot rocket

That’s where the move began that broke Serbia’s resistance in the 16th minute. Lamine Yamal, of course, drew all the attention and slipped a pass to the edge of the box, where Fermín turned and played it left. Baena dummied superbly, letting the ball run through his legs to Oyarzabal. The result: a thunderous left-footed strike that left Vanja Milinković-Savić with no chance. A goal of outstanding quality.

Dejan Stanković tracked Pedri wherever he went, but the midfielder played with deception, drifting into areas where he swapped roles with Baena and unsettled Serbia’s midfield. Paunović suffered on the bench, watching his players chase shadows. Veljko Birmančević, a surprise starter with limited minutes at Getafe CF, and Aleksandar Mitrović were left stranded up front without a ball to work with.

Nemanja Gudelj was also under pressure, likely thinking he already has enough to deal with at Sevilla FC without having to stop La Roja as well. And so it proved. Just before halftime, he could only watch as Oyarzabal received a gift at the edge of the box. The Real Sociedad forward didn’t waste it. His left-footed shot into the top corner was even better than the opener.

That effectively put the game to bed. From there, it slipped into a non-aggression phase and the usual wave of substitutions in this type of friendly. A rotation that particularly benefited debutants Cristhian Mosquera and Víctor Muñoz, who earned his reward for a strong season at CA Osasuna.

He couldn’t have done it better. With his first chance, he found the net. A subtle outside-of-the-foot finish after an excellent backheel assist from Ferran Torres. A goal that puts him in the race for a spot at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. One that De la Fuente clearly can’t wait to start… while keeping his fingers crossed.

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