LOS ANGELES: European champions Spain cruised into the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday with a dominant 3-0 win over Austria to set up a potential showdown with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header sealed victory for the Spaniards, who produced their most complete performance of the tournament to advance to the next round. Spain opened their World Cup campaign with a faltering 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but have subsequently built momentum with each match.

Spain and Austria meet Thursday night at SoFi Stadium in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, with a last-16 spot and a potential showdown against...

Ahead of high-stakes round-of-32 clashes against Austria and Croatia, we look at how Spain's vibrant youth and Portugal's veteran flair are on a direct collision course in the…