Lamine Yamal made his first start in the tournament and delivered immediately, scoring his first World Cup goal on Sunday, June 21, 2026. His strike in the 11th minute gave Spain a 1-0 lead over Saudi Arabia and also became Spain’s first goal of the entire competition.
The Israeli source quoted heavy praise from Spanish broadcasters and radio commentators. Alfredo Martínez said, “What an enormous talent this Catalan player is. He is a genius, he is the chosen one,” adding, “He came to make history. He is our guide.”
At COPE radio, the praise continued with a comparison to Spain’s previous match, saying that within three minutes Spain already had more shots on target than in the game against Cape Verde. The station described Yamal as “wonderful,” “fantastic,” and “the difference-maker” Spain needed.
The article framed the teenager as the decisive figure in Spain’s opening success at the 2026 World Cup and highlighted the immediate impact of his debut in the starting lineup.
