Yamal shows why this could be his World Cup

Lamine Yamal was the news before the match began and dominated the talk long after the final whistle.

The 18-year-old returned to Atlanta hoping to start his first World Cup match, after being limited to just 19 minutes in Spain’s shock draw with Cape Verde.

Coach Luis de la Fuente insisted that his appearance as a substitute was part of a long-term plan, with Lamine Yamal still carefully managing his recovery from the hamstring injury he suffered in April.

He was nevertheless fit enough to start against Saudi Arabia on Sunday. And Yamal’s impact was immediate. Even before the match began, Yamal had an extraordinary effect on the atmosphere. Thousands of fans wore shirts with his name on the back. Every time the young superstar’s face appeared on the big screen, the stadium roared.

Spain’s young star had not yet touched the ball when he created his first chance. When he did, he transformed the first half.

Spain had promised to play with courage, tempo and no fear. The Spaniards delivered that in their 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia. Lamine Yamal was at the centre of everything. With Yamal on the pitch, the performance was lively, direct and convincing.

“When he’s on the pitch, Lamine knows how to create chances, how to take on defenders and where to receive the ball. He is improving with every match he plays,” said Cesar Azpilicueta, a former Spain international.
Sharp, fearless and full of confidence, Lamine Yamal glided past defenders with ease and breathed life into Spain’s attack. There was an unmistakable sense of what was to come. When the breakthrough came, he was there. It was not long before the young phenomenon scored his first World Cup goal, as the stadium erupted in celebration. He was the superstar they had come to see.

Yamal became the seventh player in history to score at a World Cup before turning 19. 

Yamal has broken many of Lionel Messi’s records at Barcelona and has now surpassed him on the global stage, too. The Argentine was close to his 19th birthday when he scored his first World Cup goal in 2006. The Spaniard did it two weeks younger.

“Lamine Yamal has come into the Barcelona and Spain teams, and they are his teams. He is the main man,” said English legend Wayne Rooney.

“Everyone expects him to win. He was very important in Spain’s triumph at the European Championship and will be important at this World Cup. He handles the pressure at such a young age. I hope he can do this for 15 or 20 years,” Rooney added.

Mikel Oyarzabal scored two goals for Spain and assisted Yamal’s goal. He became only the second player since 1966 to be directly involved in three goals in the first 25 minutes of a World Cup match.
It was a complete contrast to the first match, in which Oyarzabal did not touch the ball at all in the first 30 minutes. He was the first player in World Cup history for whom this had happened.

Spain put the question of the winner to bed in the first half. And Yamal was rested in the second.

Spain will continue to carefully manage the young star’s fitness. A fully fit Lamine Yamal could be decisive in Spain’s hopes of winning the World Cup.