Yamal Overtakes Messi as Youngest World Cup Scorer; Spain Dominates Saudi Arabia 4-0

Lamine Yamal etched his name in World Cup history, becoming the eighth youngest scorer in the tournament's annals at just 18 years and 343 days old. His goal in Spain's resounding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia also saw him surpass Lionel Messi on the list of youngest World Cup goalscorers, pushing the Argentine legend to ninth place.

Yamal expressed his elation, describing the experience as a dream come true. "I always dreamed of being at the World Cup, and scoring a goal in my first start is like a dream," he stated. He noted the team's initial struggle in their first match, contrasting it with their current form. "In the first match, it really wasn't us, it was different, but now we've arrived and we're going for more," Yamal said, highlighting the team's improved performance and focus.

Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente celebrated his 65th birthday with the commanding win. He praised his team's exceptional first half and their overall approach, emphasizing the need for continued growth. "We played an exceptional first half, and the second was also good," de la Fuente commented. "Above all, it allows us to build on this momentum and face the important upcoming matches. The duel with Uruguay will be tough and very hard." He specifically lauded Yamal's potential, stating the young player is capable of playing a full match.

Saudi Arabia's coach, Georgios Donis, acknowledged his team's shortcomings in the face of Spain's dominance. "We are not strong enough to stop Spain around our penalty area. We made too many mistakes," Donis admitted. He noted the impact of conceding early goals, which led to uncertainty within his squad. "When the game doesn't start well, when you concede three goals very quickly, then you become insecure. We calmed the team down, but we were shaken."

“

Nismo dovoljno snažni da bismo zaustavili Španjolsku oko našeg kaznenog prostora. Napravili smo previše pogrešaka. Kad utakmica ne počne dobro, kad primiš tri gola vrlo brzo, onda postaneš nesiguran. Smirili smo momčad, ali smo bili uzdrmani. To je nešto što često vidimo na najvećim turnirima. To nije strah. No, možeš osjetiti nesigurnost kad ti ne ide dobro.