Barca World Cup Spotlight: Ferran Torres’ impressive cameo helps Spain beat Portgual

The quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are slowly taking shape, and they will have to do so without Portugal, who were knocked out by Spain last night.

Spain against Portugal was always expected to be too powerful a clash to be taking place in the round of 16, and one of them was bound to suffer.

It was a tightly contested game with an open first half, in which both teams failed to score, and Portugal rather inexplicably sat back in the second.

Roberto Martinez’s side opted for a deep block, trying to stop Spain from creating chances, and they managed to keep them out until the 90th minute.

However, substitutes Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino combined to score the decisive goal for La Roja, who will now face Belgium in the quarter-finals.

From a Barcelona perspective, Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Pedri and Dani Olmo played for Spain, while Joao Cancelo played for Portugal.

Let us see how the Spanish contingent and Cancelo fared on the night.

Pau Cubarsi vs Portugal

Spain edged the game where it mattered most, winning the xG battle 1.77 to 0.56, producing six shots on target to Portugal’s two, and creating three big chances to Portugal’s one.

Pau Cubarsi started at centre-back and once again looked like a teenager who has skipped several stages of normal development.

His value was not in headline moments. It was in calm defending, simple circulation and emotional control.

Portugal still had dangerous moments. Cristiano Ronaldo tested Unai Simon twice, Nuno Mendes hit the woodwork, and Portugal made 61 final-third entries.

Cubarsi had to stay switched on even when Spain had more of the ball. For Barcelona, the takeaway is obvious: he is already trusted in games where one mistake can end a World Cup.

Lamine Yamal vs Portugal
Lamine Yamal was the brightest Barcelona attacker on the pitch. The numbers back that up: three shots and seven progressive carries, constantly giving Spain an outlet on the right.

This was not Lamine at his most explosive, but that almost makes the performance more impressive.

Portugal did not give him much room, and yet he still stretched the game, forced defenders to retreat and helped Spain keep pressure around the box.

At 18, he is already being treated like a senior danger man.