Spain, Germany Win Friendlies in 2026 World Cup Prep

International friendly matches served as crucial warmups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, with Spain securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Serbia in Villarreal, Germany rallying for a 4-3 win against Switzerland in Basel, England drawing 1-1 with Uruguay at Wembley Stadium in London, and the Netherlands defeating Norway 2-1 in Amsterdam.

Spain's performance highlighted their status as favorites for a second World Cup title, especially after a last-minute scheduling change. The game against Serbia replaced a planned matchup with Argentina in Doha, which was canceled due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Mikel Oyarzabal starred for the hosts, scoring both of his goals in the first half to put Spain firmly in control. His opener came in the 16th minute, a powerful shot from the edge of the box following a clever dummy by Alex Baena on Fermin Lopez's pass. Just before halftime, Oyarzabal added a second with a left-footed strike from 25 yards that beat goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. The Real Sociedad forward has now scored 11 goals in his last 10 appearances for Spain, bringing his international tally to 26 in 53 matches.

Substitutes added to the tally in the second...