Helping Spain defeat Belgium with a score of 2-1, Lamine Yamal has surpassed the King of Football Pele to become the player under 19 years old with the most appearances in World Cup history.
Yamal has just set a new world record in the match between Spain and Belgium in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup taking place in Los Angeles. With his inclusion in the starting lineup, he becomes the player under 19 years old to possess the most appearances in World Cup history.
This is the 6th match of the player on the payroll of Barcelona at the planet’s biggest football festival, helping him surpass the legendary milestone that the King of Football Pele once held.
Notably, this record was established just two days before Yamal turned 19. Previously, he also made a strong impression by becoming the second youngest player to score the opening goal in a match at the World Cup (after Pele in 1958) with a strike against Saudi Arabia in the group stage.
Regarding the match developments, Spain and Belgium created a breathtakingly tight contest. After ending the first half with a 1-1 draw, the two teams continuously traded blows in the second half.
The turning point only came in the 88th minute when Mikel Merino shone at the right time with the decisive goal, bringing a narrow 2-1 victory for Luis de la Fuente’s army. The opponent of “La Roja” in the semi-finals will be the France team. The match takes place on July 14.
