Yamal's World Cup debut goal sparks Spain's 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia

Lamine Yamal announced himself on football’s biggest stage by opening the scoring inside 10 minutes as Spain dismantled Saudi Arabia 4-0 at Atlanta Stadium on Sunday, a result that steadied the European champions after a surprise 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their tournament opener.

The 18-year-old Barcelona winger slid in at the far post to convert Mikel Oyarzabal’s low cross and became the eighth-youngest scorer in World Cup history. It was his first start of the tournament, having been restricted to a substitute appearance against Cape Verde while managing a hamstring injury that had cut short his club season.

“I’ve always dreamed of being at a World Cup, and being able to score in my first match as a starter is a dream,” Yamal said after the game. “I watched the last World Cup from a classroom so being able to score here with my mum and my family in the stands is a dream come true.”

Yamal had already carved through the Saudi defence repeatedly before turning home the opener, and a packed Atlanta Stadium — largely filled with Spain supporters — had erupted at the mere sight of him emerging for the pre-match warm-up. His celebration, dropping to his knees, praying and kissing the turf, reflected the weight of the moment.

“The first game wasn’t really us, it was different, but now we’ve arrived, and we’re going for more,” he added.

Oyarzabal, who had drawn criticism for going untouched by the ball for the first 30 minutes against Cape Verde, more than made amends. After providing the assist for Yamal, he added two close-range finishes of his own in the 21st and 24th minutes to give Spain a commanding first-half lead. Coach Luis de la Fuente had seen enough and withdrew both scorers at the interval.

Marc Cucurella extended the lead within four minutes of the restart to complete a dominant afternoon for the 2010 world champions, who have not advanced beyond the Round of 16 since that triumph — winning just three knockout games in the intervening 15 years.

Yamal’s arrival at this tournament had been clouded by fitness concerns, but Sunday’s performance served as a reminder of why he is already regarded as one of the game’s finest players. He helped Spain win Euro 2024 at just 16 and is widely considered the heir apparent to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the sport’s dominant force. With his World Cup account now open, Spain’s campaign looks considerably more threatening.