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Spain have Lamine Yamal back -- and they finally l...

ESPN · Jun 21, 2026, 8:56 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • But when Yamal, 18, comes into the Spanish national team and makes this kind of immediate impact, it's easy to get carried away.
  • De la Fuente already had, calling Yamal "a genius" in Saturday's prematch news conference.
  • In Spain's 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Sunday in Group H, during the opening spell before the first hydration break, Yamal and Spain painted quite a picture.

Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.

But when Yamal, 18, comes into the Spanish national team and makes this kind of immediate impact, it's easy to get carried away.

De la Fuente already had, calling Yamal "a genius" in Saturday's prematch news conference. He was like the artists Salvador Dali and Michelangelo, he said: "They're different. What seems exceptional for us, isn't for them."

In Spain's 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Sunday in Group H, during the opening spell before the first hydration break, Yamal and Spain painted quite a picture. It wasn't the Sistine Chapel -- not yet. There will be much greater works to come at this World Cup, against more demanding opponents. But this was a first-half exhibition from Spain, and after that 0-0 slump against Cape Verde, it's a performance that puts them right back where they belong: among the favorites to win this tournament.

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