Lamine Yamal stars as Spain hit four against Croatia in Seville
Lamine Yamal scored twice and created Marc Pubill’s goal as Spain overcame Croatia at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, extending their unbeaten sequence to 40 matches. Nico Williams came off the bench to add a late fourth after a night in Seville that also saw Spain present their World Cup trophy to supporters.
What changed for Spain
Spain made an immediate statement, with Yamal putting the hosts ahead 70 seconds into the match. It was the quickest goal of the teenager’s career, arriving three days after he had scored against England at Wembley.
Croatia levelled the contest, but Yamal helped Spain regain control on the half-hour. The Barcelona forward supplied the delivery from which Pubill restored the lead.
Yamal then struck again in the 63rd minute, beating his Barcelona team-mate Dominik Livakovic at the goalkeeper’s near post. Williams completed the scoring after his introduction from the bench.
The 2025 Ballon d’Or runner-up has produced 11 goals and seven assists across his past eight appearances for club and country. He is among the leading contenders for the 2026 award, due to be presented next month, after Barcelona’s La Liga triumph and Spain’s World Cup success. Asked about another possible individual honour, Yamal replied: “Another one.”
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised the forward’s contribution beyond his two goals. “We saw his magic again, but he uses it for the team,” he said. “That says a great deal about him. In time, he will be even more recognised for his collective work.”
De la Fuente added that Yamal wants to demonstrate his level on the world stage, while describing the player as humble and popular within the squad.
Competition context
The match formed part of Spain’s Nations League campaign, with the world champions seeking to regain the trophy. Their run without defeat now stands at 40 games, underlining the consistency of De la Fuente’s side following their World Cup victory.
Yamal said his familiarity with Livakovic had influenced his second finish. “I know him from training,” he explained. “I considered what he normally does in that situation and, thankfully, it went in.”
The occasion also gave supporters in Seville the opportunity to welcome the World Cup back to Spain. The squad displayed the trophy at the stadium, with Yamal acknowledging the anticipation around its arrival.
“You could sense the excitement about bringing the World Cup here for the fans to see,” he said. “They deserved it.”
What is scheduled next
- Spain face Czechia in the Nations League on October 3, when another positive result would move them closer to the competition’s latter stages and protect the 40-match unbeaten run.
- De la Fuente’s team meet Croatia again on October 6, three days after the Czechia fixture, in the final match of the international window.
