Barcelona star eyeing Xabi Alonso’s elusive Spain record in World Cup 2026

Barcelona star eyeing Xabi Alonso’s elusive Spain record in World Cup 2026 The FIFA 2026 World Cup is already underway, with tournament favourites Spain set to kickstart their campaing tomorrow, as they take on Cape Verde. It should be a straightforward task for La Roja , especially after recent reports that suggest star man Lamine Yamal should be fit for the encounter . The opening game will be even more important for Dani Olmo, as the Barcelona star is chasing an elusive record. Dani Olmo eyes Xabi Alonso’s record As pointed out by MARCA , Olmo has the opportunity to match Xabi Alonso’s record and become only the second player to score Spain’s opening goal in two different World Cups. Can Olmo score the opener vs Cape Verde? (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images) Olmo already has one to his name. He scored the opening goal in the rout of Costa Rica in Qatar four years ago, and that strike was also the first of the 104 goals Spain have scored since Luis de la Fuente took charge of the national team. Xabi Alonso, now the Chelsea manager, remains the only Spaniard to have done it twice. He headed home the opener against Ukraine in 2006 and converted a penalty against the Netherlands in 2014. Will Olmo start regularly for Spain? The challenge for Olmo is that he is unlikely to start against Cape Verde, with De la Fuente expected to deploy Baena on the left flank instead. Olmo is coming on the back of a brilliant season at Barcelona. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) Olmo is pushing hard for a place in Spain’s starting eleven thanks to his excellent physical condition and a period of strong form. The Barcelona playmaker has worked intensively on his fitness in the lead-up to the tournament and arrives sharp and ready to contribute. His versatility is one of his greatest assets, with the ability to operate both alongside Pedri in a double pivot and in a more advanced role, giving De la Fuente plenty of tactical flexibility. Coming off a season in which he registered eight goals and nine assists across 46 matches for Barcelona, Olmo is likely to feature heavily as the tournament progresses. Whether he gets on the pitch in time to match Xabi Alonso’s record against Cape Verde remains to be seen.