Spain's World Cup fullbacks Porro, Llorente and Cucurella impress

Pedro Porro and Marcos Llorente have emerged as Spain’s leading options at right‑back during the World Cup. Porro scored the second goal in a 3‑0 win over Austria and posted strong defensive numbers, while Llorente completed full matches against Cape Verde and Uruguay, earning praise for his work rate. Coach Luis de la Fuente faces a selection dilemma ahead of the group game with Portugal, weighing Porro’s ball‑play against Llorente’s physicality.

On the opposite flank, left‑back Marc Cucurella has become one of Spain’s most influential players. He has covered the greatest distance of any participant (42,922 m) and logged the highest sprint count (174) across four matches, while also providing two assists and creating several scoring chances. His performances have been lauded by Real Madrid, which sees him as a reliable, high‑intensity option, and he is set to clash with Portugal’s Nuno Mendes in the upcoming match.