The Spaniards have always been favorites: Robert Gasparyan on the upcoming match against Austria

As part of the 2026 World Cup, a striking showdown between the national teams of Spain and Austria will take place at Los Angeles’s most expensive stadium, SoFi Stadium. Speaking on Alpha News, journalist Robert Gasparyan shared his views on the favorites, the teams’ prospects, and the tournament’s unexpected results so far.

He emphasized that Spain’s national team is traditionally considered one of the main favorites at any major championship, recalling their historic victories.

“The Spaniards have always been favorites. Let’s recall 2008: under Luis Aragonés, they weren’t initially seen as serious contenders, but they won the European Championship, then in 2010 the World Cup in South Africa, and in 2012 they became European champions again. At yesterday’s press conference, I asked Ralf Rangnick, head coach of Austria’s national team, and he noted that his players grew up during the very years of Spanish football’s dominance, which is why this match holds special significance for them,” Gasparyan noted.

The journalist added that although Austria is not considered a country strongly associated with football, where winter sports and alpine skiing disciplines are more popular, it has “phenomenal infrastructure,” which he became acquainted with firsthand several years ago.