Spain crushes Saudi Arabia 4-0 as Yamal joins Pelé in World Cup record books

Spain dominated Saudi Arabia 4-0 on Sunday in Atlanta, with Lamine Yamal opening the scoring and Mikel Oyarzabal adding a quickfire brace.espn
Yamal, 18, became only the second teenager to score a World Cup opener for his team, joining Pelé, and netted younger than both Messi and Mbappé did.indiatimes
The win lifts Spain to four points atop Group H after a shock goalless draw with Cape Verde, with a final group match against Uruguay on June 26.bolavip

Spain Routs Saudi Arabia 4-0 as Yamal Scores First World Cup Goal

Spain emphatically revived their 2026 World Cup campaign on Sunday, dismantling Saudi Arabia 4-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to surge to the top of Group H. The European champions, who had been held to a frustrating goalless draw by debutants Cape Verde in their opener, struck three times in the first 24 minutes to put the contest beyond doubt.

Yamal Makes History

Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona forward making his first World Cup start after coming off the bench for the final 19 minutes against Cape Verde due to injury, opened the scoring in the 11th minute. At 18 years and 343 days old, Yamal became only the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opening goal of a World Cup match, joining Pelé, who accomplished the feat as a 17-year-old against Wales in 1958. The goal also made him younger than both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé were when they scored their first World Cup goals.espn

Mikel Oyarzabal then added a quickfire double to give Spain a commanding 3-0 lead before halftime. Hassan Al Tambakti compounded Saudi Arabia’s misery with a second-half own goal — the eighth of this tournament — to complete the 4-0 rout. A late Ferran Torres effort was ruled out for offside.bolavip

Spain Take Control of Group H

The result lifts Spain to four points atop Group H, putting them in a commanding position to advance to the Round of 32. Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay had all been level on one point after the opening round of matches ended with a pair of draws. Spain’s final group match comes against Uruguay on June 26.as

La Roja’s Statement of Intent

The performance was a sharp contrast to Spain’s labored opener, in which they held nearly 75 percent possession and unleashed 27 shots against Cape Verde without finding the net. Against Saudi Arabia, Luis de la Fuente’s side showed the cutting edge that made them pre-tournament favorites, with Yamal’s early breakthrough setting the tone for a dominant display that served as a reminder of Spain’s credentials in a wide-open tournament.nytimes