More pre-World Cup friendlies to dissect now as we review wins for France, Spain and the Netherlands.
All five of these teams, plus Uzbekistan, who the Netherlands beat, were contesting their final kickabouts before the meaningful action gets underway, so there were some notable takeaways for Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 managers ahead of Round 1.
You can find Opta data from all three of these friendlies in our Members Area, via the links below:
FRANCE 3-1 Northern Ireland
- Goals: Olise x3
- Assist: Gusto
- France had 73% possession and outshot their opposition 27-4 five corners, although they only produced two big chance.
- The backline was first strength: Maignan, Saliba, Kounde, Upamecano and Theo Hernandez, although it’s very possible Digne gets a group stage game or two in place of the latter. Kounde took a knock and went off at half-time as a precaution, along with Saliba, who they are being careful with. This was the Arsenal defender’s first appearance since news broke about his nigging back issues. At one point, it looked like he might have missed the World Cup.
- It’s becoming clear that Rabiot and Tchouameni are the first-team central midfield, while the front four was as expected: Doue, Olise, Dembele and Mbappe. It’s quite a fluid attack, with all four chopping and changing into different positions, depending on the game state and management of minutes elsewhere.
- It’s difficult to see how Cherki gets into this starting line-up in Round 1 but, of course, if Les Bleus need a goal, he’s the first one you’d think of off the bench. He’s a major minutes risk either way. Cherki and Barcola did come on here, with the former registering three shots and two key passes.
- Doue and Dembele will likely be the first ones taken off, before Mbappe and Olise, when the real action gets underway. Dembele suffered from injury towards the back-end of the season, while Doue is still young.
- The brilliant Olise scored a hat-trick and created a big chance, and he is their best attacker at the moment. Dembele was fairly quiet outside of his shot that led to the Olise tap-in. Mbappe had six shots on goal (none on target!), missed one big chance, and created two key passes. Doue was good, supplying three key passes and registering one attempt on target.
- Hernandez created two chances and has as many shots on goal, which are strong numbers for a defender.
THE NETHERLANDS 2-1 UZBEKISTAN
- Goals: Gakpo (x2 pens)
- Penalty wins: Summerville, Van Hecke
- The Netherlands dominated as you’d expect, with 65% possession, a 15-8 advantage on shots, and a margin of 8-1 on ‘big chances’.
- It was a 4-3-3 for Die Oranje.
- Verbruggen started the game as expected but due to a clash was substituted, and Flekken replaced him. Ronald Koeman said afterwards that Verbruggen had taken a knock to his hip and would be assessed, so we’ll probably find out pretty quickly on that.
- The back four of van de Ven, van Dijk, van Hecke and Dumfries was as expected. Earlier in the day, it was confirmed that Timber wouldn’t be at the World Cup, so van Hecke looks secure. There are also no questions around Dumfries, it seems.
- Reijnders, de Jong and Gravenberch were in midfield, while Gakpo and Summerville flanked Malen up front. The subs weren’t hugely significant outside of the fact that Depay didn’t play at all, so there is huge concern over his readiness for Round 1. It’s now looking like he won’t be a reliable starter, even after Malen’s poor performances in front of goal.
- Dumfries spent more time attacking than defending, creating three chances (two of which were ‘big’ ones), which is fantastic. Summerville did well again, too, winning the penalty and having four shots on goal. Malen has had an excellent season at Roma, but he’s missed some chances for his national team recently. Still, with Depay not fit, he should start in Round 1.
- Gakpo is now the Netherlands’ standout Fantasy pick. He scored both penalties with Depay not on the pitch, and missed a separate big chance. He also created four chances for others, two of them ‘big’ ones.
- Profligacy is the main concern for the Netherlands at the moment.
- Uzbekistan went with a back five as usual, and it was mostly the first team from them. They posed little attacking threat, with Sergeev‘s injury-time goal their first shot in the box of the match. To concede eight big chances is asking for trouble, too. They could be one of the whipping boys this summer.
SPAIN 3-1 Peru
- Goals: Oyarzabal, Pedri, own-goal
- Assists: Cubarsi, Ferran
- Spain dominated possession but that’s usually a given with them. They created three big chances to Peru’s two, but somehow had fewer attempts on goal than their opposition (eight v 10).
- Simon started in goal and was replaced by Raya at half-time. The backline was as expected: Cucurella, Llorente, Cubarsi and Laporte. Grimaldo came on for Cucurella and, like Digne above, could easily get a group game start. He’s more than capable of playing in a back four, as we saw at Benfica and with Spain.
- Pedri, Rodri and Ruiz were in midfield, with Ferran and Baena flanking Oyarzabal up front. Ferran will probably now start ahead of Yamal, who is fighting to be fit, in Round 1.
- There were quite a lot of substitutions, one of which saw Olmo come in the second half. There’s a good chance that Olmo starts ahead of Ruiz for that first World Cup game, as the formation we saw in the first half against Peru is what you’d expect to see against top sides, not the likes of Cabo Verde. You never know, though.
- Centre-half Cubarsi got an assist, while Cucurella, although advanced, did next to nothing from an attacking perspective (ie no shots or key passes). Pedri was great: he scored, created a big chance and made two key passes. Ferran got the assist, had two shots on goal and missed a big chance. Baena did very little; he’s someone who lacks massively when compared to the other attackers. Spain will be glad when Williams returns. He’s still recovering but they hope to have him ready for the big kick-off. Oyarzabal scored and missed a big chance before coming off after 45 minutes.
- Whilst Spain’s win wasn’t totally convincing, they were missing key players, managed minutes and made a lot of substitutions, and the main goal with these kickabouts is to hone match-rhythm and avoid injury.
