Lamine Yamal delivered a stunning performance as Spain overwhelmed Croatia 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League, marking their first home match since clinching the World Cup title. The 19-year-old forward was instrumental, netting two goals and providing an assist, contributing significantly to Spain’s extended unbeaten streak now standing at 40 games.
The victory, which also featured goals from Marc Pubill and Nico Williams, came at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, where the atmosphere was electric. Before kickoff, captain Rodri proudly displayed the World Cup trophy, handed to him by Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, who was part of Spain’s 2010 winning squad.
Spain took to the field with an attacking lineup including Yamal, Alex Baena, and Mikel Oyarzabal, all of whom found the net in their thrilling 3-2 victory over England at Wembley just days earlier. Meanwhile, Croatia made notable changes from their previous match against the Czech Republic, notably leaving veteran Luka Modric on the bench.
Yamal’s Rising Influence
Yamal wasted no time in asserting his influence, opening the scoring within the first two minutes, replicating his rapid impact against England. His precise left-footed strike brought his international goal tally to nine across 36 appearances, underscoring his growing importance to La Roja.
Despite Spain’s early dominance, Croatia responded just before the half-hour mark when Dion Beljo leveled the score with a powerful header from an Ivan Perisic cross. Standing at 1.95 meters, Beljo’s aerial prowess briefly gave Croatia hope, but Spain’s relentless pressure soon reasserted control.
Looking ahead, Spain is set to face the Czech Republic on Saturday in Group A3, aiming to maintain their unbeaten run and continue their strong performances following their World Cup triumph. Yamal’s standout display has also intensified discussions surrounding his candidacy for this year’s Ballon d’Or, with voting recently closed and the winner to be revealed on October 26.