Spain kicks off their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign today, playing their first match against the South American nation Costa Rica on Wednesday. The game will be held at Qatar's Al Thumama Stadium. Spain must win this game because they are in a difficult group. Starting well is important in tournaments like the World Cup, where any team can beat any other team on any given day, as witnessed by Saudi Arabia's shock loss to Argentina, which also features a certain Lionel Messi.

Costa Rica is a solid team that is ranked 31 in the world. Spain, ranked seventh in the world, will start as favorites, but Costa Rica would welcome a surprise. We discussed earlier how Spain is in a difficult group. Luis Enrique's men are in Group E with Germany, Japan, and Costa Rica, all of whom have won the World Cup four times. In the last ten international appearances, Spain has only lost one match. Spain will compete in its 16th World Cup in Qatar.