Spain seek Yamal spark to end World Cup drought

FE Team | Published: June 20, 2026 21:43:06

ATLANTA, June 20 (Agencies): Lamine Yamal is hard to avoid on the approach to Atlanta's futuristic stadium where adverts featuring the 18-year-old adorn the sides of giant skyscrapers, but it is on the pitch that Spain desperately need the Barcelona superstar.
The European champions flunked their opening test of the World Cup, drawing 0-0 against debutants Cape Verde, sparking doubts over their status as one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Spanish knowhow is helping Saudi Arabian football to develop and at the same time using that inside knowledge to warn their countrymen to expect a tough test in Sunday's crucial 2026 World Cup clash in Atlanta.
Before the 48-team tournament kicked off, few predicted that these two teams would be level on points after the opening games in Group H as Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 with Uruguay, and Spain were, much more surprisingly, held to a 0-0 draw by debutants Cape Verde.
That result has led to a lot of criticism coming the way of the coach Luis de la Fuente in the Spanish media. It has also brought a renewed determination not to slip up against a Saudi Arabian side that is looking to reach the knockout stages for the second time in their seventh appearance.
Yamal was kept in reserve until the final quarter as he is nursed back to full fitness from a hamstring injury that had kept him sidelined for nearly two months.
Even if it did not ultimately break the deadlock, his sheer presence immediately changed the game.
The majority of the 68,000 crowd in Atlanta that had come to see one of the game's biggest stars finally had something to get excited about.
Spain's pedestrian passing game also at last had an outlet to stretch the Cape Verde defence.
"Lamine is undoubtedly a special player. He has great ability to beat his man and disrupt the opposition's defensive shape," said Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino.
"Given Lamine's quality, he can influence any game at any moment."
Yamal became a household name with his starring role as a 16-year-old when Spain swept all before them to win Euro 2024.
His blend of speed, skill and goal threat on the right was complimented by Nico Williams on the left wing.
Williams' own injury-disrupted season meant he only came off the bench against Cape Verde for the final few minutes plus stoppage time.
Without the direct ability of both to beat a man one against one, Spain regressed to the impotent side that has struggled on the World Cup stage since they lifted the trophy for the first time in 2010.
In the 16 years since, La Roja have won three of 12 World Cup games.
Moreover, they have completed 2,500 passes since they even scored a goal as their dominance of the ball counted for little against Japan and Morocco four years ago, and rarely troubled a Cape Verde side ranked 67 in the world.