Lamine Yamal says ‘I’m here’: Spain star dazzles with World Cup goal
The 18-year-old scores his first World Cup goal within 10 minutes against Saudi Arabia in a sublime display of his skills. Spain’s young football star
The 18-year-old scores his first World Cup goal within 10 minutes against Saudi Arabia in a sublime display of his skills. Spain’s young football star Lamine Yamal is no stranger to the limelight. In the weeks leading up to the World Cup, he found himself thrust into the middle of a social media debate regarding his fitness and availability for the tournament as well as his unapologetic pro-Palestine activism. On the eve of Spain’s second World Cup match against Saudi Arabia at Atlanta Stadium in the US state of Georgia, he was subjected to playful banter from Saudi fans. “Where is Yamaaaaal? Where is Yamal?” they chanted through the streets of Atlanta. The video clip was seen as a throwback to a viral moment from Saudi Arabia’s shock World Cup 2022 win over eventual champions Argentina when one Saudi fan interrupted an international channel’s broadcast by saying: “Where’s [Lionel] Messi?” Statement start The Saudi chant might have also been a jibe at Spain’s lacklustre display in their opening match of the World Cup against debutants Cape Verde, who held the European champions to a goalless draw. Yamal, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, came on as a 70th-minute substitute but failed to break the deadlock as Cape Verde’s heroic goalkeeper Vozinha kept a clean sheet.
On the same day, Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 against Uruguay, much to the delight of the Arab team’s fans. When the Saudi fans took over parts of Atlanta, where Yamal’s face occupies a large wall mural and skyscraper, they wondered if the 18-year-old would fail to turn up against their team on Sunday. It didn’t take Yamal long to answer that question. Ten minutes into his first full 90 minutes of the tournament, the Spanish forward slotted in his first goal of the World Cup to join Brazilian great Pele as the only player aged 18 or younger to open the scoring in a World Cup match. Yamal stayed on the pitch until the 64th minute and continued to bamboozle the Saudi defence as the pretournament favourites put four goals past their hapless opponents. By the time he was substituted out, number 19 had completed 88 percent of his passes and made six attempts on goal. As if he hadn’t already done the talking on the field, the teenager used his social media clout to post a response to his 44 million-plus followers and the Saudi fans asking where he was. “I’m here,” he wrote in an understated Instagram post that included his own photos from the match. Weight of activism and expectations Yamal’s name first emerged during the European Championship in 2024 when La Roja won their record-breaking fourth continental crown.
The BriefWire