Fabián Ruiz Has Become a Key Player for the Spanish National Team on the Road to the World Cup. Fabián Ruiz remains an understated but indispensable leader for Spain’s national team. His contribution is recognized by coaches, and his tactical role continues to grow. The new starting lineup has already been set.
The Spanish national team has finalized its starting lineup for the beginning of the World Cup, and the spotlight has turned to Fabián Ruiz. Although headlines more often go to Lamine, Nico, Pedri, or Oyarzabal, it is Fabián who has become an indispensable element in the team's tactical setup. His work goes largely unnoticed by fans and the press, allowing other players to realize their potential, while the coaching staff regularly highlights him as one of the best players on the pitch.
In the last warm-up match against Peru, Spain showed a confident performance, with Fabián once again at the heart of most key moments. He skillfully supported the team's play out of pressing, covered the flanks, and timely closed down open spaces. According to the coaches, these actions make him irreplaceable for the national team. At PSG under Luis Enrique, Fabián also plays a leading role, underscoring his versatility and high level of tactical preparation.
Oyarzabal continues to rack up goal contributions: 25 goals for the national team, 19 of which have come under Luis de la Fuente. In the last 11 matches, he has notched 12 goals and 6 assists. Despite this, he is not yet considered a star, although his effectiveness is unquestionable. In the match against Peru, he opened the scoring in the fourth minute, but was then forced off with an injury after a collision, prompting the coaching staff to make a substitution.
Spain's squad for the World Cup is now almost settled. Unai Simón is in goal, with Marcos Llorente, Cubarsí, Laporte, and Cucurella in defense. The midfield consists of Rodri, Fabián, and Pedri. In attack, Oyarzabal plays as the center forward. Wingers Lamine and Nico, who missed the match against Peru while recovering from injuries, are expected to return soon. Their appearance is planned for the second match against Saudi Arabia.
Peru was unable to put up serious resistance, and the third goal against the visitors came as a result of a mistake by goalkeeper Gallese, who misplayed his exit. As Alfredo Di Stéfano once noted, a goalkeeper should not let in balls going wide of the goal — but Gallese made exactly that error after Yeremi’s cross.
Despite a confident win, Spain still has questions about its defense. During the match, the team allowed three dangerous chances due to gaps in the center of defense. One such episode ended in a goal by Jairo Vélez, who finished a one-on-one with goalkeeper Raya.
Cucurella remains the first choice on the left side of defense, but Spain has another strong option on the bench — Alejandro Grimaldo. His ability to deliver accurate set pieces could become a decisive factor in tough matches, where the outcome is decided by details. In modern football, such qualities are often worth their weight in gold.
Before the start of the tournament, Spain's coaching staff did not hide their decisions regarding the lineup, confirming their confidence in the chosen tactics. This approach has already been discussed in materials on russpain.com — for example, in the analysis of lineup options and the role of wingers, which can be found at this link.
For reference: Fabián Ruiz made his debut for the Spanish national team in 2019 and has been regularly called up ever since. In recent years, he has become one of the most consistent midfielders in Europe, and his versatility allows coaches to use him in different positions. Oyarzabal, in turn, is considered one of the most effective players of the national team in the past decade. Spain traditionally relies on ball control and attacking variety, which requires a high level of tactical discipline from all midfielders.
