Lamine Yamal and Oyarzabal fire Spain to emphatic win against Saudi Arabia
Spain secured a decisive victory against Saudi Arabia in the 2026 World Cup, with standout performances from Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal. The win marks a significant turnaround for the team following a disappointing opening match.
Why it matters
The match demonstrates the competitive dynamics of the 2026 World Cup and the impact of key player returns on team performance.
Lamine Yamal celebrates with Mikel Oyarzabal after giving Spain an early lead. Photograph: Brett Davis/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters View image in fullscreen Lamine Yamal celebrates with Mikel Oyarzabal after giving Spain an early lead. Photograph: Brett Davis/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters World Cup 2026 Lamine Yamal and Oyarzabal fire Spain to emphatic win against Saudi Arabia Sid Lowe at Atlanta Stadium Sun 21 Jun 2026 14.18 EDT Last modified on Sun 21 Jun 2026 21.30 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google Luis de la Fuente said he wanted a new jumper for his birthday but this was even better. On the day the Spain coach turned 65, his players gifted him the perfect afternoon in Atlanta, the doubts from their opener blown away. Unable to find a way through in 97 minutes here against Cape Verde , this time they had celebrated putting three goals past Saudi Arabia before the first drinks break. Life is there to be enjoyed, Lamine Yamal had said, so they did. By the end it was four and it couldn’t have worked out any nicer.
The article is a standard sports match report focusing on game events and player performance.
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