Spain v Egypt (International Friendly): odds and bets 31.03.2026

It’s neither a final nor an official match, but I do think it’s a very useful test ahead of the World Cup. Spain host Egypt this Tuesday, 31 March, at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà, in a friendly that ended up on the schedule following several changes to the calendar. Spain are coming off a 3-0 win over Serbia, whilst Egypt arrive on the back of a 4-0 victory against Saudi Arabia.

The interesting thing here, at least for me, is the contrast. Spain arrive with greater control, better ball circulation and a vast squad that allows them to rotate players without losing their identity. Egypt, on the other hand, have less possession but tend to be a tricky opponent when they can run or close down spaces and break quickly. Furthermore, they will be without Salah, and that significantly alters the threat they pose.

Spain

The impression Spain leaves me with after the 3-0 win over Serbia is very positive. Not just because of the result, but because of the manner of the victory. It was a clean victory, without too many scares, with a team that dominated from the first half and found the net with ease. Oyarzabal scored a brace in the first half and Víctor Muñoz scored on his senior debut, yet another sign of the wealth of options Luis de la Fuente currently has to tinker with the starting eleven whilst maintaining a competitive level.

Furthermore, I find the context of the squad selection interesting. Rodri is back from injury and there are new faces such as Joan García, whilst others like Fabián Ruiz are unavailable. That speaks of a squad with a solid foundation but with room to rotate without losing quality. I’m not sure if the most recognisable starting eleven will feature, but I do expect a serious Spain, as this is one of the final tests before the World Cup.

In terms of play, Spain will dominate possession; that’s almost certain. They’ll settle in the opposition’s half, bring players together in the middle and look to create opportunities through patience. Against Serbia, they already showed that superiority and also demonstrated that they have plenty of attacking options.

My only concern is how much the defensive standard might drop with rotations, but in terms of overall control I see a clear difference compared to Egypt.

Egypt

Egypt arrive in better spirits than many might think. The 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia is significant, especially as they achieved it without Salah. That suggests the team does not rely solely on their star player and can create danger through other players if the circumstances allow.

That said, the step up in quality here is evident. Egypt usually feels more comfortable when they can defend in a mid-to-low block and break quickly, not when they have to spend long periods near their own area. And against Spain, that is likely to be the case. Without Salah, moreover, they lose that ability to turn any transition into a clear-cut chance almost out of nowhere.

I also expect a fairly conservative approach. It’s a warm-up friendly, not a final, and Egypt have already secured their World Cup qualification.

I can’t imagine a team running wild, but rather a well-organised side, trying to keep up with the pace of the game and capitalise on the odd opportunity. If they manage to make it to half-time unscathed, they can compete; if they concede early, things could get very complicated for them.