Spain winning 4-0 is big enough,but way this 18-year-old took over attention made whole thing feel bigger than just scoreline.
And this came after he had played only 19 minutes in goalless draw with Cape Verde,so naturally people were waiting to see more from him . Before match even started,thousands of fans were already wearing jerseys with his name,which says lot about kind of hype around him right now.
From first whistle,Yamal looked sharp only . He kept moving through defenders with ease,kept adding energy to Spain's attack and honestly,Saudi Arabia looked uncomfortable whenever ball came near him.
Then came his big moment . Yamal scored his first World Cup goal by sliding in at back post to finish low cross . Stadium erupted,fans started chanting his name and suddenly it felt like another young superstar story was properly beginning.
Few things standing out clearly from this match:
- First World Cup goal at 18 — Yamal became seventh player in history to score before turning 19.
- Wayne Rooney likened Yamal's potential to that of Messi and Ronaldo.
- Spain's attacking dominance looked completely different from previous match against Cape Verde.
And tbh,comparison with Messi and Ronaldo is not small thing ah . Wayne Rooney saying that kind of thing will obviously create even more pressure,but Yamal did not look like someone scared by attention.
As match went on,his confidence kept showing . He was not just trying flashy runs,he was also creating chances for teammates and reading game properly . His former teammate,Cesar Azpilicueta,praised his ability to read game and make decisive plays .
Post-match experts also spoke about his confidence and humility,which is rare combination at this age . Spain now have two more group matches remaining and they are expected to manage Yamal's fitness carefully,because after this performance,expectations have gone very high.
And that is where things become interesting now . He is still 18,approaching his 19th birthday,and already people are talking like next huge football chapter has started… but how much pressure can one teenager carry from here?
