Spain Prepares for Crucial Match Against Georgia Ahead of World Cup Qualification

Spain is gearing up for a crucial encounter with Georgia as they aim to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. La Roja can secure their place in next summer’s tournament, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, by earning three points in Tbilisi, provided Turkey does not defeat Bulgaria on the same day.

Currently leading Group E with 12 points from four victories, Luis de la Fuente’s squad is positioned well. Meanwhile, Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey trails with nine points, setting the stage for an important clash in Seville next week that could significantly impact the qualification process.

However, Spain has encountered a setback before their match against Georgia, as player Huijsen was not included in the squad traveling to Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena. The 20-year-old was omitted as a precaution after experiencing groin discomfort during training on Friday. He is set to undergo tests to determine if any injury has occurred.

The starting XI for Spain against Georgia includes: Simon (c); Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Merino, Zubimendi, Ruiz; Torres, Oyarzabal, Baena. The substitutes are: Raya, Barrios, Grimaldo, Vivian, Llorente, Iglesias, Olmo, Pino, Remiro, Fornals, Lopez, Garcia.

While Spain hopes that Huijsen has avoided a serious injury ahead of the Turkey match, his club, Real Madrid, also awaits news on his fitness for the La Liga return next weekend. Xabi Alonso’s team is currently at the top of the table with 31 points, three points ahead of rivals Barcelona, and will face Elche, positioned 11th, on Sunday, November 23.

Since joining Real Madrid from Bournemouth in the summer, Huijsen has excelled, making 13 appearances across all competitions and contributing one assist. Notably, he also missed Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria in October due to injury.

Additionally, Real Madrid is concerned about Kylian Mbappe’s health after he withdrew from the France squad prior to Sunday’s qualifier against Azerbaijan due to an ankle issue. The 26-year-old sustained the injury during Thursday’s 4-0 win over Ukraine, which confirmed France’s qualification for the World Cup.

France manager Didier Deschamps confirmed Mbappe’s return to Real Madrid for further evaluation, stating, “Kylian is still suffering from inflammation in the ankle. We decided he should return to Real Madrid where their medical staff will determine the next steps. We preferred not to take any risks, just like we did with Camavinga. We won’t gamble with any player.”

In the match against Ukraine, Mbappe scored twice, including a Panenka penalty, marking his 399th and 400th goals for club and country, making him the youngest player to reach this impressive milestone. However, he downplayed the achievement, saying, “Four hundred goals? It is great, but people are not impressed with it. When you have one guy with 950 [Ronaldo] and one with 900 [Messi], I need 400 more if I want to be in the conversation that will shock people. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 1,000 goals? It’s unreal. But we will try the unreal. I have to try: I only have one career!”

Currently, Mbappe is in outstanding form for Real Madrid in the 2025-26 season, having scored 18 goals in just 16 matches.