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.
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.
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 six-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. Saudi defenders struggled to decide whether to show him down the line or allow him to drift inside. Neither option worked particularly well. Every touch seemed to create panic, every run opened space for teammates and every attack appeared to flow through him.
The teenager nearly added another when he cut inside and fired over from distance, while his clever link-up play repeatedly dragged Saudi Arabia’s back line out of shape. Atlanta responded to every involvement with growing excitement.
Spain have no shortage of stars. Yet for much of the afternoon, it felt as though the match was being played to the rhythm of Yamal’s right foot.
OYARZABAL SHUTS HIS CRITICS
If Yamal lit the fuse, Oyarzabal provided the explosion.
Spain’s forward doubled the lead midway through the first half after Saudi Arabia failed to clear their lines, reacting quickest inside the penalty area to finish clinically. Before Saudi Arabia could regroup, he struck again. This time the finish was even better, a powerful effort that left Mohammed Al Owais with no chance.
At 3-0 after just 24 minutes, the contest was effectively over.
Spain’s midfield took complete control from there. Rodri dictated the tempo, Pedri drifted elegantly between the lines and Dani Olmo continually found pockets of space. Saudi Arabia spent most of the afternoon chasing the ball rather than playing with it.
The second half followed a similar pattern.
With one eye on the upcoming clash against Uruguay, De la Fuente began rotating his squad. Yamal and Oyarzabal were both withdrawn at half-time, allowing Ferran Torres and Yeremy Pino an opportunity to impress.
The changes did little to disrupt Spain’s momentum.
An unfortunate Hassan Altambakti own goal early in the second half stretched the advantage to four after another dangerous delivery into the Saudi penalty area. Spain continued to push for more, creating chance after chance while Saudi Arabia struggled to offer any meaningful response.
Pedro Porro and Ferran Torres both came close to adding further gloss to the scoreline, while a late Torres effort was ruled out following a lengthy VAR review. Even with the game long decided, Spain continued to attack with purpose.
The result moves Spain onto four points from their opening two matches and dramatically alters the mood surrounding their campaign. The questions that followed the draw against Cape Verde have been replaced by optimism and belief.
A sterner examination awaits against Uruguay in their final group game. Yet Spain will head into that contest knowing they have rediscovered their identity at exactly the right time.
And if Yamal continues to perform like this, the rest of the tournament may soon have a new star attraction.
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