Spain's Expected World Cup XI

Midfielders

Iniesta's teammates will be determined to make his last World Cup a success.

The toughest decision for the Spanish head coach will be the selection of his midfield. The Spanish midfield is full of talent and experience. For most of the friendlies, as well as the World Cup Qualifiers, Lopetegui opted to go with the midfield comprising of Andreas Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Thiago Alcantara. Isco, along with David Silva on the opposite side, was used in the front three and drifting inside, between the lanes, in a free role. While there may be doubts about others, it is safe to say that Sergio Busquets will start at the base of the midfield three due to his experience and talent of being the perfect defensive midfielder. He is vital for Barcelona and Spain because his defensive prowess, but most importantly he knows when and how to launch an attack and take out the opposing defence, all at once. Suarez's goal at the Bernabeu this season is the perfect example of that.It will be interesting to see whether the coach changes his preferred formation, for Isco, to 4-4-2 diamond or he let's him play on the outside. He will be influential wherever he plays and will be important for the team. Given the experience and tactical superiority, it is safe to say that Busquets and Iniesta will start in the mid-3, regardless their age, along with Thiago. Isco and Silva will utilize the empty spaces in the final third of the park and feed their center-forward or chip in with some goals of their own.

While Asensio is the perfect replacement for Isco, Koke and Saul can replace anyone in the midfield. They can play like wingers in the front 3, or at the base like Busquets and can also run the play like Iniesta and Thiago. It will be a learnng experience for these youngsters this time around.