Lamine Yamal steals the show as Spain roar back to life with Saudi Arabia rout
Spain arrived in Atlanta with a point to prove. A frustrating goalless draw against Cape Verde had raised uncomfortable questions about whether one of the
Spain arrived in Atlanta with a point to prove. A frustrating goalless draw against Cape Verde had raised uncomfortable questions about whether one of the tournament favourites had left their shooting boots behind. Ninety minutes later, those doubts had largely disappeared as Luis de la Fuente's side swept aside Saudi Arabia 4-0 to register their first win of the World Cup. Read Full Story The scoreline told only part of the story. This was Spain at their most fluid, most aggressive and most entertaining. The passing combinations flowed, the chances arrived in waves and Saudi Arabia spent long periods chasing shadows. SPAIN vs SAUDI ARABIA, FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: HIGHLIGHTS And at the centre of it all was Lamine Yamal. Making his first start of the tournament after being used as a substitute against Cape Verde, the teenager looked determined to make up for lost time. He opened the scoring after just 10 minutes, stretched the Saudi defence every time he touched the ball and provided the spark that transformed Spain's attack from blunt to brilliant. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Lamine Yamal Scores Against Saudi Arabia! pic.twitter.com/4verC16CGQ— Chauhan (@Platypuss_10) June 21, 2026 By the time Mikel Oyarzabal added two goals in three devastating first-half minutes and an own goal after the break completed the scoring, Spain had turned what was expected to be a tricky Group H assignment into one of the most one-sided contests of the tournament so far.
Saudi Arabia had frustrated Uruguay in their opener and arrived believing they could make life difficult for Spain too. Instead, they became the latest side to discover how dangerous La Roja can be when their young stars find their rhythm. LAMINE YAMAL STEALS THE SHOW The biggest compliment that can be paid to Yamal is that he increasingly makes the extraordinary look ordinary. The Barcelona winger had started Spain's opener on the bench as he continued to manage fitness concerns, but there was little sign of rust when he was handed a place in the starting XI. In fact, he looked like a man eager to remind everyone why he has become one of the most exciting players in world football. His goal arrived after just 10 minutes. Oyarzabal burst down the left and delivered a teasing ball across the si yard box. Arriving perfectly at the far post, Yamal slid in to guide the ball beyond the goalkeeper and claim his first World Cup goal. The finish was simple. The movement was not. The strike also placed Yamal in rare company. At 18, he became only the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opening goal in a World Cup match. The only other teenager to achieve the feat was a 17-year-old Pel, who did so for Brazil against Wales in 1958. Throughout the first half, Yamal was a constant source of problems.
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