PREVIEW | Spain Host Georgia as the World’s Number One Team

The Spanish national team host Georgia in Elche, where Luis de la Fuente’s men will play their first match as the world’s number one team in the FIFA rankings. Following convincing away victories against Bulgaria (0–3) and Turkey (0–6), Spain have taken firm steps toward qualifying for the next FIFA World Cup.

Spain and Georgia have faced each other eight times, with Spain recording seven victories and one defeat—the latter coming in a friendly, meaning the national team have never lost to Georgia in an official competition. The overall goal tally reflects Spain’s dominance: 23 goals scored and only 5 conceded. The last meeting between the two sides came in the Round of 16 of the last EURO, where Spain claimed a commanding 4–1 win in Cologne, thanks to goals from Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Nico Williams, and Dani Olmo, on their way to being crowned champions of Europe.

Official Squad Numbers

Among the current squad, Robin Le Normand and Ferran Torres already know what it means to score against Georgia. Torres, moreover, could reach the milestone of 50 international appearances for La Roja during this international window.

Match Dossier

📄 Download the match dossier for Spain’s fixtures against Croatia and Bulgaria

During the official pre-match press conference, Luis de la Fuente emphasized the difficulty of the upcoming challenge:

“We’re playing for World Cup qualification, and these matches are never easy. Georgia are a tough opponent with many talented players, so we’ll need to perform at our very best to win.”

Mikel Merino, meanwhile, was reminded that Spain have not lost a World Cup qualifying home match since 1934. Rather than focusing on statistics, he underlined the importance of consistency and commitment:

“We must show our fans that, just as the FIFA ranking says, we are the best national team in the world.”

When the whistle blows at the Martínez Valero Stadium, Spain will not only seek another three points—but also begin the task of defending their position as the number one team in world football.