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Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match between Spain and Saudi Arabia at Atlanta Stadium on June 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal scored his first World Cup goal for Spain on Sunday when he netted a cross from Mikel Oyarzabal inside the 10-minute mark against Saudi Arabia. In the process, the 18-year-old winger became the eighth youngest goal-scorer in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing his idol, Lionel Messi, in the exclusive list.
The goal was particularly crucial since it came in Yamal’s first start in two months after a hamstring injury, and ended La Roja’s excruciating wait for a World Cup goal after the disappointing 0-0 draw against Cabo Verde in their opening Group H fixture.
The top-10 list of the youngest goal scorers in World Cup history:
Lamine Yamal has surpassed Messi and is now the 8th-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history 😲👏
Youngest World Cup scorers:
1️⃣ Pelé – 17 years & 239 days 2️⃣ Manuel Rosas – 18 years & 93 days 3️⃣ Gavi – 18 years & 110 days 4️⃣ Ibrahim Mbaye – 18 years & 142 days 5️⃣ Michael Owen
Lamine Yamal’s girlfriend, Ines Garcia, made a big statement after the Spanish star netted his first World Cup goal, calling him “the best player in the world.”
The 21-year-old influencer initially reposted a fan’s Instagram Story that read, “Ines was right… Lamine is in top form.”
She then chimed in with her own thoughts.
“The best player in the world is at 2,000,000%, and he’s also in good hands,” she wrote alongside heart emojis, via Complex.
Garcia was also in attendance for the Spain vs Saudi Arabia match at Atlanta Stadium.
After the 4-0 thumping of Saudi Arabia, Yamal admitted that his team needed a morale boost after the 0-0 draw against Cabo Verde, a team they were expected to beat in the opener.
“The first game was something that wasn’t us, it was different, but already we have arrived and we are going for more,” Yamal said, via Goal.com. “To draw a match that we know you have to win stings us; it has made us think a lot, to arrive at this match as we wanted.”
Yamal has already tasted success at the biggest stage, having played a key role in Spain’s 2024 Euro championship win and leading Barcelona to back-to-back La Liga titles. However, his first World Cup goal hit different.
“It has been very special, I have always dreamed of being in a World Cup and to be able to score in a first match as a starter is a dream,” Yamal said of his first World Cup goal.
“The other World Cup I watched in class and to be able to score here with my mother and my family watching is a dream.”
Interestingly, Yamal was subbed out by Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente in the second half after his first-ever start at the World Cup. After the match, he confirmed it was a tactical plan to keep him fresh for the rest of the tournament as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
“It was the plan, to go out for half a part and be able to rest, but above all to help the team,” Yamal said.
Yamal and Spain will next face Uruguay in their final Group H fixture on Friday.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sportswriter with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided's Hoops Habit and more. More about Sai Mohan
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