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๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France /Sports

Spain dominates Saudi Arabia 4-0 in 2026 World Cup clash

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Spain secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their 2026 World Cup match.
  • Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal were key scorers, with Yamal scoring the opener and Oyarzabal netting a brace.
  • The win significantly boosts Spain's chances of advancing to the knockout stage, with one group game remaining.

Spain, a favorite for the 2026 World Cup, rebounded from a disappointing draw with Cape Verde to secure a crucial 4-0 victory against Saudi Arabia. The win all but guarantees their progression to the Round of 16, with a final group match against Uruguay on June 26.

I am not going to walk away.

โ€” Keir StarmerStarmer's defiant mood after the Makerfield byelection loss.

Eighteen-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal, despite concerns about his fitness, was instrumental in the win. He opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a decisive finish after a precise cross from Mikel Oyarzabal. Oyarzabal himself went on to score a brace, capitalizing on a corner kick in the 21st minute and a brilliant team combination in the 23rd minute. His performance could have been even more impressive, but his shot in the 36th minute struck the crossbar.

Let's pull together as a party and a movement.

โ€” Keir StarmerStarmer's call to his party after the Makerfield byelection loss.

Saudi Arabia struggled to gain possession, holding only 29% of the ball and posing little threat to the Spanish goal. Their efforts were further hampered by an own goal from Hassan Al-Tambakti in the 49th minute, following a save from Mohammed Al-Owais on a volley by Marc Cucurella. The second half saw Spain ease off, with coach Luis de la Fuente substituting Yamal and Oyarzabal at halftime to conserve energy.

I donโ€™t want to come on here and be delusional that there is no process, there are no forces at work which are challenging the prime minister as leader โ€“ that is clearly the case.

โ€” Peter KyleBusiness Secretary Peter Kyle's acknowledgment of the threat to Starmer's leadership.

Despite the comfortable win, Spain sent a clear message to their competitors. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, who drew their opening match against Uruguay 1-1, still has a chance to advance as one of the best third-placed teams. They will face Cape Verde next, a match that will be critical for their qualification hopes.

I suspect Keirโ€™s resistance will fade quickly if Andy wins so big that it looks like he could save dozens of colleaguesโ€™ jobs at a general election.

โ€” No 10 sourceA source within Number 10 commenting on the potential impact of the Makerfield byelection results on Starmer's leadership.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.