The Scenic City is adorned in red and yellow as the Spanish national team is set to arrive Friday for a lengthy stay at its new home away from home for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Here is a list of fun facts about “La Roja” to help Chattanoogans learn more about one of the world’s most followed sports teams.
BETTING FAVORITES
While FIFA has France just ahead of Spain for the No. 1 spot in the latest men’s world rankings, La Roja is still considered by many to be the favorite to win the World Cup.
With Yamal looking likely to return to action following a hamstring injury that ended his season with Barcelona on April 22, Spain is the favorite to win the World Cup with +450 odds on Draft Kings. France is second at +475, with England third at +700.
Several AI projections have Spain’s odds over 20 percent to win the World Cup.
PARTNER WITH SPAIN
A local large-format printing company, SpeedPro Chattanooga, has printed and installed over 57,000 square feet of large-format graphics, banners, wall and window graphics and canvas art displayed along the Baylor School campus and Embassy Suites downtown in preparation for the Spanish national team’s monthlong stay.
Chad Mize, his wife, Betsy, and his brother, Kyle, own and operate SpeedPro Chattanooga as a family business. Chad and Betsy’s two daughters, Sophia and Zoe, both played soccer at Baylor and have played college soccer for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Both sisters helped with the transformation of Baylor’s campus into Spain’s World Cup home base.
SpeedPro Chattanooga printed over 300 photos to display at Baylor and the Embassy Suites. The estimated time it took to print everything was three weeks.
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UNTIED SHOELACES
Spanish 21-year-old midfielder Gavi became famous early into his professional career for playing with his shoelaces untied. His first youth soccer coach said Gavi has played with his laces untied ever since he was 6 years old. Former Barcelona manager Xavi said that Gavi has played with his shoelaces untied simply out of habit and comfort.
“Gavi has been playing with his laces untied since he was very young. It’s because he doesn’t know how to tie them well,” Xavi said after a match early into Gavi’s career. “He doesn’t care, and he plays like that.”
IMPROBABLE CHAMPS
Spain was the first team to win a World Cup after losing its opening match.
After falling 1-0 to Switzerland to begin group play in 2010, Spain went on to outscore its next six opponents 8-1.
Andres Iniesta provided the greatest moment in Spanish national team history as he scored the winning goal in the 116th minute of extra time in the World Cup final against the Netherlands on July 11, 2010, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
At the most recent World Cup in 2022, Argentina became the second team to lose its opener but win the title, bouncing back from a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia to win six straight matches, including a shootout against France in the title contest.
NO REAL MADRID
For the first time in 17 appearances at the World Cup, Spain will not have a single player on its roster from Real Madrid.
Real Madrid is the world’s most followed professional sports team, with 454.1 million social media fans across Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.
There are eight FC Barcelona players on the team, while Spain’s roster is comprised of players from La Liga and Premier League players hailing from 12 different clubs: Arsenal, Athletic Club (Bilbao), FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad and Osasuna.
SOCIAL MEDIA MIGHT
Sergio Ramos and Lamine Yamal, two of Spain’s most influential soccer players of all-time, have a combined 109.5 million followers on Instagram. Ramos holds the record for most appearances for the Spanish men’s national team in international matches, with 180. Yamal is ranked third in the Ballon d’Or power rankings, which honor the best soccer player over the previous European season.
By comparison, NFL stars Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, who have combined for 10 Super Bowl rings, have a combined 21.8 million followers on Instagram.
NICKNAMES AND CHANTS
Player nicknames: Lamine Yamal (“El Niño de Rocafonda” or “The Boy from Rocafonda”), Pedri (“The Sardine” or “Pedri Potter”), Ferran Torres (“The Shark”), Gavi (“The Pitbull”), Rodri (“The Engine”).
Team chants: “Yo soy espanol, espanol, espanol” (I am Spanish, Spanish, Spanish); “A por ellos, oe! Apor ellos, oe! A por ellos, oe, oe, oe!” (Go get ’em, oe! Go get ’em, eo! Go get ’em, oe, oe, oe!); Que viva Espana! (Long Live Spain!)
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This story was corrected at 11:30 to state that Spain was the first team to lose its World Cup opener but win the tournament.
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Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.