Twenty-four hours before their opening match against Kazakhstan, Spain faced a major setback: Cortés has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a soleus injury. As confirmed by Fede Vidal, he will be replaced by Jesús García del Pino, also known as ‘Gordillo’. Vidal expressed his sympathy, saying, “I feel awful for him. He’s worked so hard, and it’s heartbreaking for him to miss the World Cup.” César shared the moment of injury on his social media, showing how he was hurt while playing alone.
According to FIFA rankings, the upcoming match (14:30, Teledeporte/RTVEPlay) between Spain and Kazakhstan at the Universal Sport Complex in Andijan promises to be one of the most competitive in the group stage. Spain, ranked third globally, will face Kazakhstan, ranked eighth, though they would move up a spot due to Russia’s sports suspension.
In past encounters between these two teams, Spain has won four out of five official matches, with one draw. Even the draw, during the 2018 Euro in Ljubljana, ended in Spain’s favor with a 3-1 outcome. Their other meetings include a 7-0 win in 2009, a 5-0 in 2011, a 5-3 victory at the 2016 European Championship in Serbia, and a 5-2 win at the 2016 World Cup in Colombia.
leo higuita
At 38, Leonardo de Melo Vieira Leite, known as Leo Higuita for his similar style to Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita, remains a star player for Kazakhstan. The five-time Best Goalkeeper in the World is known for his abilities both in goal and on the field, often scoring himself and drawing attention wherever he plays.
Like his teammates, Higuita aims to make it far in the tournament. “We have to be realistic,” he said. “Our goal is to reach the last 16. Finishing top of the group would be great, but we face strong opponents. Our first-round match against Spain feels like a final.”
Kazakhstan’s coach, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, better known as Kakà, echoed these sentiments: “The match against Spain is crucial. We’ve prepared well, but now we need to perform. We’ll see what happens.”
