Lamine Yamal, 18, announces himself as a World Cup phenom as Spain crush Saudi Arabia

Lamine Yamal did not wait long to make his mark on his first World Cup start.

The 18-year-old Barcelona attacker sparked a riotous performance from Spain against Saudi Arabia, scoring after 10 minutes to set his team on their way to a 4-0 victory which all but confirmed their place in the last 32.

It was the perfect antidote for Spain, whose status as pre-tournament favourites had been dented by the 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opening game. Yamal was only able to make a cameo appearance in that match as he recovered from injury: he was fit to start here, and it transformed his team.

The Athletic examines the major talking points from Atlanta.

How good was Yamal on his first World Cup start?

Yamal’s preparations for the World Cup were far from ideal. He was fighting to return to full fitness after suffering a left hamstring injury in April, and was unable to contribute properly during just 19 minutes in that shock draw with Cape Verde. Meanwhile, fellow superstars Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior all got off to flying starts.

There was no doubt that Yamal was going to start today, despite not being 100 per cent, and he was by far the most active Spain player in a frenetic opening.

There was a deep cross to Alex Baena which caused problems for the Saudi defence, an ambitious long-range shot which flew just too high and a corner which picked out an unmarked Dani Olmo, only for his Barca team-mate to miscue his shot.

A goal was coming, and it arrived on 10 minutes with Baena freeing Mikel Oyarzabal down the left wing, and his hammered cross to the back post arrived perfectly for an unmarked Yamal to slide in.

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Spain and their young superstar continued to pile on the pressure — Yamal almost played in Baena only for Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais to intervene and after Oyarzabal’s quick-fire double, the teenager was denied his second goal when a 20-yard curler drew an excellent save.

Coming up to half-time Yamal was also doing his defensive work, disrupting a Saudi corner routine, but then showing he’s not quite at his top level as he was not quite able to sprint away on the counter-attack.

That was surely behind head coach Luis de la Fuente’s decision to remove Yamal at half-time. He should at least be stronger and fitter for Spain’s final group game against Uruguay.

Still, at 18 years and 343 days, Yamal is now the eighth-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history. He is also only the second player aged 18 or younger to open the scoring in a FIFA World Cup match — the other was a 17-year-old Pele for Brazil v Wales in 1958.

By the time Yamal turns 19 in a few weeks, Spain should be deep in this tournament, and their young superstar could well be on the way to making more history.

Dermot Corrigan

How did Oyarzabal bounce back from ignominy?

Oyarzabal would not have been happy about the statistic attached to his name after the game with Cape Verde.

The 29-year-old became the first player in World Cup history to not register a single touch of the ball in the first 30 minutes of a match, as his side failed to unlock their stubborn minnows. Perhaps he was channelling basketball star Michael Jordan, but it appeared that Oyarzabal “took that personally” — and was quick to re-address the narrative of his World Cup.

Leading the line once again, Spain’s No 21 was crucial in blowing Saudi Arabia away in the opening half-hour, scoring two goals and bagging an assist — making him the second World Cup player since 1966 to be involved in three goals inside 25 minutes. Hungary’s Laszlo Fazekas holds that accolade, following a goal and two assists against El Salvador in 1982.

That second statistic was more representative of Oyarzabal’s recent experience in a Spain shirt. Prior to the Cape Verde draw, he had scored in six consecutive international matches, becoming just the fourth player in Spanish history to do so.

Zoom out further, and he had bagged 18 goal involvements (12 goals and six assists) across Spain’s last 11 games going into the tournament.

Oyarzabal is not your typical penalty-box poacher. His game is built on selfless runs, dragging opponents with him, and stitching the attack together with creative freedom. However, give him the opportunity to finish — as Saudi Arabia did on Sunday — and he has the clinical streak to punish you.

Oyarzabal was removed at half-time with Spain in total command, but he will be glad that he is being spoken about for the right reasons once again.

Mark Carey

How much can we read into Spain's win?

Spain endured a nervous six days since the Cape Verde game, with De la Fuente and his players having to listen to how they had got pretty much everything wrong.

There are parallels to 2010, when Vicente Del Bosque’s Spain side lost their World Cup opener to Switzerland, and were hit with waves of criticism. They ended that summer by winning the tournament.

It is tempting to see something similar here. De la Fuente's four tweaks in selection and tactics, including starting Yamal and moving Pedri deeper into midfield, all worked well.

Among the most repeated stats in Spain over this period was how it had been nearly three games and 2,500 passes since they had last scored a World Cup goal (going back to their painful last 16 exit by Morocco four years ago in Qatar).

It took them less than 10 minutes to end that run tonight, and this was much more like the direct and vibrant La Roja team which won the European Championship so impressively two years ago, and came into this tournament among the favourites. Nico Williams getting another substitute appearance to get his form and fitness back is another positive.

Yet their opposition today were really disappointing. Cape Verde had shown a clear template for frustrating this Spanish side, defending deep and in numbers, and with intensity and organisation. The Saudis got the first part, maybe, but not the second, at all.

So just as Spain were not an awful side because they only drew their first game, we cannot say they are world beaters now. But barring a huge Uruguay or Cape Verde win later today (Sunday, 11pm UK/6pm ET), De la Fuente’s team will only need a draw against the South Americans next weekend to top Group H.

Dermot Corrigan

Can Saudi Arabia recover to qualify?

Georgios Donis, the Saudi Arabia head coach, spoke about the chance of miracles before this game, but it quickly became clear no divine intervention was coming.

Those minutes must have felt like hours for Saudi Arabia’s players: chasing shadows, toiling hopelessly without the ball and wilting a little more with every goal during Spain’s ruthless start.

“Devastating” was the verdict of former England striker Wayne Rooney on BBC, the UK broadcaster, at half-time. “Saudi Arabia look terrified.” He was not exaggerating.

So keeping it in perspective against a team widely considered favourites to win the tournament — just how bad were the Saudis?

It will be scant consolidation, but Saudi did not hit the low of 2002, when they did not make a single tackle in the first half of an 8-0 group stage thrashing by Germany.

Since then the Gulf nation’s football programme has grown considerably, to the point they are hosting the 2034 World Cup. They came into this contest on the back of a highly creditable opening draw with Uruguay, and can point to their major upset over eventual winners Argentina in the last tournament group stages.

It was not a total capitulation. The second half was less brutal as Spain toyed with their opponents and managed minutes. That said, even in losing 7-1 against Germany last Sunday, the considerably less well resourced Curacao out-performed Saudi Arabia in terms of possession, expected goal (xG) and duels won.

Donis' men can still make it out of Group H if they can repair their shattered confidence and defeat Cape Verde. But forgetting their first-half mauling on Sunday won’t be easy.

Greg O'Keeffe

When do these teams play next?

Group H: Friday, June 26

Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia: 8pm ET (1am BST +1), NRG Stadium, Houston

Uruguay vs Spain: 8pm ET (1am BST +1), Estadio Akron, Guadalajara.

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