Lamine Yamal scores early as Spain beat Saudi Arabia

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, 18, opened Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia with a goal ten minutes after kickoff, after returning from a torn left hamstring that ended his club season in April. In Chattanooga, fans greeted the Spanish squad with chants of “Lamine! Lamine!” and an estimated 1,000 Yamal jerseys. Bill Nuttall said there were about 1,500 people greeting the team and he estimated 1,000 were wearing Yamal jerseys. He added that Yamal’s arrival sounded like a jet engine due to the screaming crowd. Yamal is already the face of high‑profile ad campaigns for Adidas, American Eagle and McDonald’s, and his 43.5 million Instagram followers surpass those of Shohei Ohtani, Patrick Mahomes and Roger Federer combined. Many compare his left‑footed style to Lionel Messi, calling him the heir apparent. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente described Yamal as “a player blessed by God” with a magical touch. He said such football geniuses are “touched by magic” and destined for special status.

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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he is convinced Yamal will become one of the best players the football world has ever seen. Flick made the comment last year while discussing the teenager’s development. Born to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, Yamal grew up in Rocafonda, a neighbourhood of Mataró described as “forgotten, isolated, and stigmatized.” By age four he joined local club La Torreta, where president Rafa Rodríguez Muñoz noted his dazzling talent.

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In 2007, Lionel Messi participated in a Barcelona charity photo shoot that included baby Lamine, captured by Mounir Nasraoui and his wife Sheila Ebana. The Instagram post captioned “El comienzo de dos leyendas” highlighted the early connection between Messi and Yamal. The image of Yamal featured in the article was taken by Johnnie Izquierdo for FIFA via Getty Images. The photograph shows Yamal wearing braces as he waves politely before entering his hotel.