World Cup 2026: Spain’s Lamine Yamal completes football with victory over Argentina
Spain and Lamine Yamal grew throughout the tournament, leaving the world at their feet and football’s two biggest prizes in their pocket.
Besides having magnificent natural gifts, it is also the lucky charm of Spain. They completed their dominance on the international stage with Ferran Torres’ decisive strike in the 106th minute in extra time.
Lamine Yamal has not been defeated yet in 28 official matches he played for his country. He played 13 matches in major tournaments and won them all; this was the longest initial 100% win streak of any European player in major tournaments.
Additionally, along with his 19-year-old Spanish teammate Pau Cubarsi, he became the fourth and fifth young player to start and win a World Cup final, after Pele for Brazil in 1958, Italian defender Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982 and Kylian Mbappe for France in 2018.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente later expressed his “sincere gratitude” to Lamine Yamal.
“He played some great football which will help him mature and become a better football player than he already is,” he said.
“He really sacrificed for the good of the community. That’s very important for my team. In my opinion, he played a great World Cup.”
And it’s not just a special talent, it’s a special talent with a special temperament.
He shrugged off Argentina’s apparent attempts to intimidate him, especially since he is in regular close contact with Nicolas Tagliafico.
Former England goalkeeper and BBC Sport pundit Joe Hart summed it up well.
“Only Lamine Yamal did not react,” he said. “He stood up to it. He wasn’t shaken or backed down. The whole team tried to crush him.
“He really kept his composure. He gave a really remarkable performance.
“Lamine Yamal is 19 years old. What a great day for him. He is 19 years old and finished football.”
With almost his entire career ahead of him and benefiting from the experience and influence of his Spain teammates such as his captain and player of the tournament Rodri, Lamine Yamal has a good chance of adding more successes like this before he is done.
