Lamine Yamal's goal-laden World Cup debut: faster than Messi, hungry for glory and ready to silence critics

Lamine Yamal made history in his first World Cup start, scoring Spain's opening goal within 10 minutes against Saudi Arabia. The match ended in a dominant 4-0 victory for Spain, with Yamal's early strike setting the tone.

Wearing the number 19, the same jersey Lionel Messi wore during his first World Cup with Argentina, Yamal's goal arrived 14 days earlier than Messi's debut World Cup goal. Both young stars achieved this milestone with their right foot. Yamal scored at 18 years and 343 days, surpassing Messi's age of 18 years and 357 days when he first scored in the 2006 World Cup against Serbia and Montenegro.

While Yamal's goal was a tap-in from a pass by Mikel Oyarzabal, he acknowledged his potential to contribute more offensively. "In terms of scoring, I can improve," he stated, highlighting his awareness of areas for development.

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I am very happy, we are all here to help the team. We are happy for the victory, but we are already thinking about the next match: we have to beat Uruguay too.

Yamal's early goal places him among the youngest scorers in World Cup history. Pelé remains the youngest, having scored at 17 years and 239 days in 1958. Yamal's achievement also positions him ahead of Kylian Mbappé, who was 19 years and 183 days when he scored his first World Cup goal in 2018.

Despite the personal triumph and the team's resounding win, Yamal's thoughts quickly turned to the next challenge. "We are already thinking about the next match: we have to beat Uruguay too," he declared, showing a mature focus on the team's progression in the tournament. He also alluded to recent Spanish press criticism following a goalless draw against Cape Verde, suggesting a desire to prove doubters wrong.

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In terms of scoring, I can improve, today Mikel (Oyarzabal) gave me a pass that I only had to push in.