Lamine Yamal shows why this could be his World Cup: 18-year-old scores in Spain's 4-0 win

Lamine Yamal was the topic of conversation beforehand and remained so long after the final whistle. The 18-year-old Barcelona winger was given his first World Cup start in Atlanta after he played just 19 minutes in the goalless draw against Cape Verde. National coach Luis de la Fuente previously insisted that the substitution was part of a plan to carefully manage the after-effects of Yamal's hamstring injury in April. Fit enough to start against Saudi Arabia, his impact was immediate - even before his first touch, his presence lifted the atmosphere.

Spain had promised more courage, pace and daring after the tough opening match - and delivered exactly that with a resounding 4-0 win, with Yamal at the center. As soon as he gained possession of the ball, he gave La Roja's attack momentum with actions, accelerations and threat. The breakthrough felt inevitable: a low cross flew past the goal area and Yamal slid in at the far post for his first World Cup goal. The stadium in Atlanta erupted; this was the star the fans had come for.


With that goal, Yamal became the seventh player in World Cup history to score before the age of 19. In addition, besides 17-year-old Pelé (Brazil) against Wales in 1958, he is the only player aged 18 or younger to open the score in a World Cup match. The comparisons with Lionel Messi are obvious: Yamal already broke several club records set by the Argentinian at Barcelona and has now added a global milestone. Former international César Azpilicueta praised Yamal's freedom and self-confidence on the field on British TV, while Wayne Rooney emphasized that the real greats - Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - maintained their top level for years thanks to dedication, and that Yamal can follow the same path. Journalist Guillem Balagué spoke of a mix of bravado and self-confidence in the teenager, who visibly embraces the leadership role in this Spain. Trainer Thomas Frank simultaneously pointed out the importance of modesty and guidance for a world star in the making.

Yamal's magic set the tone, after which Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice in a short space of time. With two goals and an assist, Oyarzabal was directly involved in three goals within the first 25 minutes - only the second player since 1966 to do so at a World Cup. A stark contrast to his performance against Cape Verde, when he was the first player ever to go the first 30 minutes without contact in a World Cup match. Now the score reflected the dominance of the European champion.

With one group match to go - against Uruguay - Yamal was taken off at half-time as a precaution. Spain continues to monitor its fitness closely, because a fully fit Lamine Yamal can be decisive in the rest of this tournament. In less than a week he will still be 18 when the final is played. The question arises: will he be the reason Spain is there?

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