Shining in Spain’s victory over Saudi Arabia, Lamine Yamal established a series of memorable milestones at the 2026 World Cup, thereby continuing to assert his status as one of the best young talents in the world.
Lamine Yamal took just 11 minutes to write a new chapter in World Cup history. Spain’s young talent scored his first goal at the planet’s biggest football festival and became the 2nd youngest Spanish player ever to score at a World Cup at 18 years and 343 days old.
The goal came at a very crucial moment for La Roja, a team in need of a convincing performance following the doubts that emerged from the previous match. Yamal once again demonstrated the mettle and confidence that have helped him shine at the highest level.
Notably, the goal against Saudi Arabia helps Lamine Yamal become the 8th youngest player in history to score at the World Cup, while also reaching a milestone associated with football legend Pele.
The “King of Football” scored his first World Cup goal at just 18 years and 138 days old at the 1958 tournament in Sweden, where he later went on to crown the championship with Brazil.
In addition, Lamine Yamal also became the 2nd player in World Cup history to score the opening goal of a match at 18 years old or younger. Before the Spanish star, the only person to do this was the legend Pele, when he scored the only goal to help Brazil defeat Wales at the 1958 World Cup at just 17 years old.
In particular, in the list of the youngest players ever to score at the World Cup, Yamal (18 years and 343 days old) even surpassed Lionel Messi. The Argentinian superstar scored his first World Cup goal at the 2006 World Cup at 18 years and 357 days old in a 6-0 victory over Serbia & Montenegro.
Spain seems to have rediscovered its best form. After a difficult match against Cape Verde, La Roja delivered a strong response against Saudi Arabia with a much more dominant and effective style of play.
Mikel Oyarzabal continued to display an impressive performance, while the Spanish attack operated significantly more smoothly compared to the opening match. This victory not only helps coach Luis de la Fuente’s team regain their confidence but also brings them closer to a ticket into the knockout rounds. At the same time, it also shows that the previous stumble may have been just a temporary accident.
With Lamine Yamal consecutively breaking records and Spain regaining its confidence, La Roja is once again asserting its status as one of the most formidable contenders for the 2026 World Cup championship.
