Lamine Yamal Becomes 8th Youngest World Cup Scorer as Spain Beat Saudi Arabia 4-0
FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain teenager scores at 18 years, 343 days, closing in on Messi’s record and joining Pelé in elite list
Atlanta: Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal etched his name into FIFA World Cup history after becoming the eighth-youngest goalscorer in the tournament’s history during Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in their Group H clash.
Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, finishing calmly from close range to give Spain an early lead and set the tone for a dominant performance.
At 18 years and 343 days, the Barcelona forward not only became the eighth-youngest scorer in World Cup history but also moved within striking distance of records held by legends. His milestone goal came just 14 days younger than Lionel Messi’s first World Cup strike, while he also joined Brazilian icon Pelé as one of only two players aged 18 or younger to score first for their country in a World Cup match.
Spain dominated throughout, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice before an own goal by Hassan Al-Tambakti sealed a comprehensive victory. The result strengthened Spain’s position in Group H as they rebounded strongly from their opening draw.
