Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia: Yamal and Oyarzabal Answer the Doubters (World Cup 2026)
Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal scored as Spain crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 at World Cup 2026, answering every question left by their goalless opener against Cape Verde.
22 June 2026
Result
Spain answered every question left by their goalless opener with a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. Lamine Yamal poked Spain ahead in the 11th minute, becoming only the second teenager to open the scoring at a World Cup since a 17-year-old Pelé in 1958, before Mikel Oyarzabal struck twice in quick succession to make it three inside 25 minutes. Marc Cucurella's deflected corner completed the rout, going in off Saudi defender Hassan Al-Tambakti for an own goal.
What it means for Last Man Standing pools
Spain were the team everyone backed in week one and the team plenty regretted backing after 27 shots produced nothing against Cape Verde. This result is the reset pool players needed: Spain look like a safe pick again, at least until the rest of this chaotic group settles down. Saudi Arabia, already pointless with a tough run remaining, now need a big swing in their final game just to survive — anyone holding them as a value pick is in real trouble.
Pre-match forecasts
Pre-match forecasts had Spain as overwhelming favourites, with market pricing putting them around 89% to win, the draw near 9%, and Saudi Arabia close to 4% — reflecting Spain's status as reigning European champions against a side that had lost nine straight World Cup matches against European opposition. The only real debate beforehand was the margin, given Spain's wasteful display against Cape Verde. The result matched that expectation almost exactly, with the only surprise being how quickly Spain answered the doubts about their finishing, scoring three times before the half-hour mark.
Standout stats
Lamine Yamal's opener made him only the second player aged 18 or under to score the first goal of a World Cup match, joining a 17-year-old Pelé against Wales in 1958. Per Opta data, Spain had completed 39 passes in the build-up before Yamal's strike, the most of any team before opening the scoring at this tournament, underlining how completely they dominated after their toothless opener. Oyarzabal became only the third player in World Cup history to score or assist three goals inside the opening 30 minutes of a match, putting his afternoon alongside some of the competition's great individual bursts.
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