Tottenham: Pedro Porro decision baffles as Spain embarassed at World Cup

Pedro Porro rightfully earned a World Cup call-up, but the Tottenham Hotspur star did not see the pitch in Spain's opening match.

Spain is one of the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup and a routine win against Cape Verde was expected.

However, that was far from the case, as the African island dug their heels in and produced one of the shocks of the tournament.

As Spain struggled to break down the 67th-ranked nation, Porro, who recently signed a new Spurs contract, would have been frustrated that he could not positively impact the result for his nation.

Instead, Porro was forced to wait further for his World Cup debut.

In the end, it may ultimately be a decision that Spain manager Luis de la Fuente regrets.

Why Pedro Porro should have seen World Cup minutes vs Cape Verde

Marcos Llorente is undoubtedly a quality right-back, but as Spain struggled to open up Cape Verde, he perhaps did not have the needed traits.

While the Atletico Madrid star put in a solid performance, earning himself a 7.8 match rating from Sofascore, Porro would have offered something different on the right flank.

When facing a team sitting in a low-block such as Cape Verde, quality deliveries and quick movements are the way to open up those defences.

From the last season, Porro has far outperformed Llorente in successful crosses per game.

In the Premier League, Porro completes 1.8 accurate crosses compared to Llorente's 0.4 in La Liga - a 350 per cent difference in success.

Additionally, the Tottenham star averages 1.6 key passes per game, with his fellow Spanish teammate only coming in with 0.7.

From the statistics, it is clear that Porro is a far more creative fullback, and against Cape Verde, Spain needed as much of that creativity as possible.

In the end, both sides would share the points in the first goalless draw of the 2026 World Cup.

Now, the pressure will be riding on the European champions to win their next two matches and secure the top spot in Group H.

When could Porro make World Cup debut?

Porro will be eagerly anticipating his debut in international football's premier tournament, but after his snub against Cape Verde, he may be fearing whether it will happen.

The draw against the African nation likely means Spain's final match of the group against Uruguay will have plenty riding on it.

De la Fuente will not be able to afford much rotation if that is the case, and Porro may be forced to wait.

However, with few breaks between matches, Llorente will need a rest at some point.

A World Cup start may go amiss for the Tottenham star, but minutes from the bench are still a possibility.