Lamine Yamal delivered a masterclass performance, scoring twice and providing an assist as Spain secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Croatia in UEFA Nations League Group A3 on Tuesday. The emphatic win in Seville not only maintained La Roja’s perfect start to the group stage but also extended their remarkable European record unbeaten run to 40 matches, cementing their status as the continent’s most formidable international side following their World Cup triumph in July.
The fixture served as a high-profile rematch of the 2023 UEFA Nations League final, a tense affair that Spain ultimately clinched on penalties. While Croatia showed resilience by recovering from an early setback to equalize in the first half, they ultimately proved incapable of withstanding a relentless Spanish onslaught. Luis de la Fuente’s side entered the match fresh off the back of a hard-fought 3-2 victory over England at Wembley just days prior, carrying that formidable momentum directly onto their home turf.
Celebrations in Seville and a Lightning Start
The evening carried a celebratory atmosphere in Andalusia, marking Spain’s first home fixture since lifting the World Cup trophy in July. The festivities kicked off before the opening whistle when midfield maestro Rodri paraded the prestigious trophy in front of an adoring home crowd at the stadium, soaking in the applause of supporters still reveling in their summer glory.
The party mood on the pitch translated immediately into attacking brilliance once the match got underway. Just as he had done a few days earlier against England, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal seized the moment to open the scoring in the second minute. The move began with Alex Baena threading a clever, probing ball into the penalty area. Midfielder Fermín López executed a brilliant dummy, letting the ball run through his legs, which allowed Lamine to arrive on cue and curl a precise, first-time low shot past the goalkeeper and just inside the far post.
Buoyed by the dream start, Spain continued to press forward with immense intensity. Baena nearly doubled the advantage shortly after, unleashing a powerful effort that Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković did well to parry away. For a brief period, it appeared as though the reigning world champions would sweep aside their visitors and put the match completely out of reach before the game had even settled into a rhythm.
Croatia Fights Back Before the Break
Despite the early blow and Spain’s initial wave of pressure, Croatia steadily worked their way back into the contest. Zlatko Dalić’s side refused to be overawed by the occasion or the quality of the opposition, gradually shifting possession and testing the Spanish defensive lines.
The breakthrough for the visitors arrived in the 28th minute. Capitalizing on a rare lapse in defensive organization from the home side, Dion Beljo rose highest inside the box to meet a well-delivered cross, guiding a precise header past the Spanish goalkeeper to level the score at 1-1. The equalizer momentarily quieted the Seville crowd and injected renewed life into the Croatian camp, who looked poised to mount a stern challenge for the remainder of the half.
Quick-Fire Response and Lamine’s Second Strike
If Croatia hoped to build upon their equalizer, their aspirations were quickly dismantled by Spain’s ruthless attacking efficiency. It took La Roja less than three minutes to reclaim the lead, restoring their advantage through a brilliantly constructed team goal. Lamine turned provider this time, driving down the right wing before whipping a dangerous, pacey cross directly into the six-yard box. Marc Pubill met the cross with authority, powering a towering header past Livaković to make it 2-1 and send the home supporters into raptures once again.
The second half continued at a high tempo, with both sides trading blows, but Spain’s superior technical quality and clinical finishing ultimately dictated the flow of the game. In the 63rd minute, Lamine struck again to put daylight between the two teams and cap off his stellar individual performance. Receiving a sharp pass from Pedri inside the penalty area, the young winger demonstrated exceptional composure, drilling a fierce shot into the back of the net from an extremely tight angle to extend Spain’s lead to 3-1.
Late Flourish Seals the Victory
With a two-goal cushion, Spain controlled the tempo of the match, dictating possession and frustrating any attempts by Croatia to mount a late comeback. Fresh legs from the substitutes’ bench helped maintain the intensity of Spain’s press as the clock wound down toward full time.
The exclamation point on the victory arrived in the 89th minute. Substitute Nico Williams, introduced to inject fresh pace into the attack, found himself in space and calmly slotted the ball home to wrap up a comprehensive 4-1 triumph.
The victory leaves Spain firmly atop UEFA Nations League Group A3 with maximum points from their opening fixtures, further extending their historic unbeaten run. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the group, England secured a 2-0 victory over 10-man the Czech Republic in Prague, a result that allowed the English side to leapfrog Slaven Bilić’s team into second place in the standings. As the Nations League campaign progresses, Spain continues to display the dominant form that carried them to global glory over the summer, with their emerging young talents leading the charge for the next generation of La Roja.