Lamine Yamal had his first start at the FIFA World Cup and immediately helped Spain avoid repeating the disappointment like the lackluster draw against Cabo Verde.
That much-awaited moment came a little later than fans expected, but in the end Yamal actually stepped onto the World Cup stage.
This is not only meaningful for the 2026 World Cup but also a signal for the future of the biggest playground on the planet. With his special talent and attractive playing style, Yamal is expected to shine many more times at future World Cups.
The short performance from the bench in the match against Cabo Verde was like a warm-up. Only fit enough to play the last 20 minutes after a hamstring injury, the Barcelona player still performed the most dribbles in the match with five successful passes over the opponent. However, he alone could not pull Spain out of a lifeless performance.
And everything changed completely against Saudi Arabia. In his first start at the World Cup, Yamal made a great contribution to helping Spain win convincingly 4-0 at Atlanta. Unlike the opening match, La Roja entered the game at a high speed, creating continuous pressure and leading 3-0 right before the players took a break to rehydrate in the first half.
Yamal is a prominent factor in that overwhelming game. Spain played so sublimely that coach Luis de la Fuente could proactively take this young star off early to save energy for the journey ahead.
Right from the first minutes, the 18-year-old player showed a desire to make his mark. He continuously stirred up the right wing, causing the Saudi Arabian defense to fall into a passive state many times.
Yamal can both accelerate down the wing to make dangerous crosses, and be ready to turn the ball inside with his left foot to launch shots. That unpredictability makes the opposing defenders always in a state of high vigilance.
Before scoring, Yamal had a long-range shot forcing goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais to show his talent to save. However, the most memorable moment came in the 10th minute. From Mikel Oyarzabal's accurate cross, Yamal made a smart move to the far post before easily cushioning the ball into the net, opening the score for Spain.
The goal was scored when the match had just passed 9 minutes and 58 seconds, helping Yamal become the eighth youngest player in history to score at the World Cup. He is also the second player under 18 years old to score the opening goal in a World Cup match, after Pele at the 1958 tournament.
That was a relatively simple goal, but it reflected the maturity in Yamal's playing thinking. Instead of stopping in the penalty area, he continued to move to the far post to seize the opportunity, a detail that is always highly appreciated by coaches.
Of course, Yamal's performance was not perfect. He launched a total of five shots and sometimes still seemed impatient when choosing to finish himself instead of passing to his teammates in a more favorable position. Besides, it can also be argued that Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal are the most effective attacking players.
Olmo brought abundant energy to the midfield area, while Oyarzabal directly contributed to the first 3 goals with one assist and 2 goals.
However, Yamal's value is not only in what he does when he has the ball at his feet. The presence of this young player seems to have changed the face of the Spanish attack. His ability to create breakthroughs, daring spirit and confidence have spread to his teammates, helping La Roja become more elegant and vibrant.
Yamal replaced Ferran Torres in the starting lineup and brought what Spain lacked in the match against Cabo Verde - creativity, surprise and the ability to make a difference in one-on-one situations.
Notably, after Yamal left the field in the 64th minute, Spain's attacking pressure also decreased significantly. From that time until the match ended, La Roja almost did not create any more truly dangerous opportunities.
Of course, Saudi Arabia is not yet a strong enough test. But if it continues to develop at the current pace, the young talent of Barcelona can completely become a source of inspiration to take Spain deeper in the tournament, just like the way he once made an important contribution to La Roja's journey to conquer EURO 2024.
