Lamine Yamal scored in his first World Cup start for Spain against Saudi Arabia, adding his name to youth records still led by Pelé.
ATLANTA — Lamine Yamal used his first World Cup start for Spain to deliver the kind of performance that turns promise into immediate evidence: a goal, five shots, a key pass and three ball recoveries in a planned 45-minute outing against Saudi Arabia.
The 18-year-old’s display, reported by Varzesh3, also placed him beside one of football’s most enduring reference points. Citing Opta, the report said Yamal became only the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opening goal of a World Cup match. The other was Pelé, who did it for Brazil against Wales at the 1958 World Cup at age 17.
Another statistic, attributed in the report to MisterChip, put Yamal in similarly rare company. At 18 years and 343 days, he became the second-youngest player to score in both a World Cup and a continental championship. Pelé reached that combined mark in 1959, across the World Cup and Copa América, at 18 years and 138 days.
The timing gave the performance extra weight. In an interview with El País quoted by Varzesh3, Yamal had pushed back on early tournament assumptions after strong starts elsewhere. “You journalists are in too much of a hurry,” he said, noting that France and Argentina’s wins had already prompted talk of a final between them while Spain was being dismissed. “You won’t know who the champion is until July 19.”
Yamal did not wait nearly that long to make his own case. His first start in a World Cup match brought a surge to Spain’s attack, and the crowd in Atlanta responded with chants of “Lamine, Lamine” as his influence grew through the half.
Spain’s broader record with Yamal in the starting lineup also underlines why his presence is treated as more than a flourish. Varzesh3 reported that with the No. 19 starting, La Roja have played 26 matches, scored more than 60 goals, won 16 times and drawn six.
There was also a practical note beneath the excitement. Yamal had agreed with coach Luis de la Fuente to play 45 minutes, according to the report, and he left at halftime despite the momentum of his performance. His final recovery came on a sprint back just before the interval, a fitting end to a short shift that still reshaped the afternoon.
Spain’s next test, the report said, is in Guadalajara, where Yamal is expected to remain central to the national team’s path through the tournament.
Comments (0)