Yamal Makes History as Spain Beat Saudi Arabia 4-0
Lamine Yamal made history as Spain thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in the 2026 World Cup, with a fast start and a dominant first half.
DALLAS — Lamine Yamal Makes History, Spain Beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 at World Cup 2026 after scoring in the 10th minute on his first start, setting the tone for a ruthless Group H victory on Sunday night at Atlanta Stadium.
Spain needed the response. After opening the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, Luis de la Fuente’s side came out sharp, fast and relentless. Saudi Arabia never really settled. The damage was done early.
Yamal strikes on first start
De la Fuente handed Yamal a start after the 18-year-old had come off the bench in Spain’s opening match. The winger had only recently returned from a hamstring injury, but the coach trusted his touch and pace from the outset.
It paid off immediately. Mikel Oyarzabal drove a low cross from the left, Saudi defender Hassan Al Tambakti failed to clear, and Yamal finished at the far post. Clean finish. Big moment.
The goal sent Yamal into the record books. He became only the second player under 19 to score the opening goal in World Cup history, following Brazil great Pelé in 1958. He also kept Saudi fullback Moteb Al-Harbi busy all evening, constantly pulling the line apart.
Oyarzabal turns the screw
Spain barely let up. In the 22nd minute, Oyarzabal pounced after a corner was not cleared and drilled a low shot past goalkeeper Mohammad Al-Owais. Three minutes later, he struck again from Dani Olmo’s layoff to make it 3-0 inside 25 minutes.
That burst mattered. Oyarzabal became only the second player in World Cup history to be directly involved in three goals inside the first 25 minutes of a match, after Hungary’s Laszlo Fazekas in 1982. He almost had a hat-trick too, but one effort hit the crossbar before halftime.
Spain had already taken 17 shots in the first half. Saudi Arabia had little answer. The pressure never really dropped.
Second-half control, one more goal
Both Yamal and Oyarzabal came off at the break, but Spain still found a fourth goal in the 49th minute. Marc Cucurella unleashed a powerful shot, Al-Owais parried it, and the ball bounced off Al Tambakti before rolling into the net. 4-0.
After that, Spain managed the match without drama. Ferran Torres missed a clear chance, while Saudi Arabia’s best opening came from Abdullah Al Hamdan 10 minutes from time and came to nothing.
Torres did put the ball in the net in stoppage time, but VAR ruled it offside. The score stayed where it was.
What the result means in Group H
| Pos | Team | Played | W | D | L | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 4 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
The result leaves Saudi Arabia under pressure. Georgios Donis’ team must beat Cape Verde on June 26, 2026, if it wants to avoid another early exit. It would be a sixth group-stage elimination since the 1994 World Cup.
For Spain, the picture looks brighter. Uruguay await in the group decider on the same date, and Yamal’s first start has already given La Furia Roja a sharp new edge. One goal, one statement, and a warning to the rest of the field.
