History will be made in Atlanta on Monday when Cabo Verde step onto the grandest stage in football for the very first time. For the Blue Sharks, this is the culmination of a remarkable journey for a nation of just over 500,000 people — and the occasion alone marks a triumph. Spain, meanwhile, arrive as European champions and the world's top-ranked side, carrying genuine title ambitions and a squad bristling with generational talent.

Luis de la Fuente's side have been in exceptional form heading into this tournament. Lamine Yamal, still a teenager yet already carrying the weight of expectation with ease, will be the player every neutral wants to watch. Up front, Mikel Oyarzabal has made the centre-forward role his own since his match-winning cameo in the Euro 2024 final, registering 11 goals and five assists in his last ten international appearances. Unai Simon is expected to start in goal despite some inconsistency at club level this season.

There is no meaningful head-to-head history between these sides, which makes this genuinely uncharted territory. Cabo Verde will look to be compact and hard to break down, hoping to frustrate Spain in the Atlanta heat and nick something from a set piece or a counter-attack — the kind of bold but pragmatic approach that brought them this far in qualifying.

The tactical battle centres on whether Spain's intricate positional play can unpick a low defensive block, or whether Cabo Verde's organisation can absorb pressure long enough to make the occasion genuinely competitive.

**Prediction:** Spain win comfortably, but Cabo Verde earn the respect of a watching world with a spirited, disciplined display.