Spain Are BACK: La Roja Demolish Saudi Arabia 4-0 to Pick Up Their First Win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Spain Are BACK: La Roja Demolish Saudi Arabia 4-0 to Pick Up Their First Win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
If you wrote off Spain after that head-scratching draw with Cape Verde last week, Sunday's performance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta just made you eat your words — in four absolutely delicious bites.
La Roja didn't just win. They announced themselves. A stunning 4-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia in Group H sent a crystal-clear message to every team still standing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Spain is here, Spain is hungry, and Spain is dangerous.
The Story Before the Storm: Cape Verde Chaos
Let's rewind quickly, because context matters. In their World Cup opener last Monday, Spain — the reigning European champions, a team on a 33-game unbeaten run — were held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde, a nation ranked 67th in the world making their World Cup debut.
The backlash was instant and brutal. Social media lit up. Pundits questioned coach Luis de la Fuente's tactics. Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain's starting striker, became the unlikely villain — he reportedly didn't touch the ball in the first 30 minutes of that match, a record you really don't want to own on a World Cup stage.
But here's the thing about great teams: they respond. And boy, did Spain respond.
Lamine Yamal Opens the Floodgates — In His First World Cup Start
If there's one image that will define Sunday's match, it's 18-year-old Lamine Yamal — grinning, electric, and utterly unstoppable — poking home the opening goal in just the 10th minute.
After being used as a substitute in the Cape Verde match, the Barcelona teenage sensation was handed his first World Cup start, and he wasted absolutely no time making it count. Yamal tapped in a teasing cross from Oyarzabal at the back post, and the stadium erupted.
Speaking after the match, Yamal's words gave everyone chills: "It's special. I've always dreamed about being at a World Cup and being able to score in my first start is a dream. I watched the last World Cup in class at school." He also told TVE: "Being able to score here with my mum and my family in the stands is a dream come true."
It was more than just a feel-good moment. Statistically, it was historic. Yamal became the eighth-youngest scorer in men's World Cup history, and only the second player aged 18 or younger to open the scoring in a World Cup match — the other? A 17-year-old Pelé for Brazil against Wales, back in 1958. Let that sink in.
And the numbers backing Yamal's dominance were equally stunning: when he scored, Spain had already completed 39 passes — more than any team at this tournament had done before scoring their first goal.
Oyarzabal's Redemption Arc Is One for the Books
If Yamal was the headline, Mikel Oyarzabal was the storyline of the tournament so far — and Sunday gave us the kind of redemption arc that Hollywood writes movies about.
Remember that guy who didn't touch the ball for 30 minutes against Cape Verde? On Sunday, Oyarzabal was virtually everywhere in the first 25 minutes. After setting up Yamal's opener with a pinpoint cross, he struck twice himself to make it 3-0 before most fans had even finished their halftime snacks — both goals coming in a dizzying two-and-a-half minute spell before the first hydration break.
His first was a poached finish at the back post after a scramble in the Saudi box. His second was a deliberate, composed tap-in after Dani Olmo and Aymeric Laporte combined brilliantly to set him free. He nearly had a hat-trick too — his audacious chip from a tight angle rattled the crossbar — but two goals and an assist in 25 minutes was more than enough to silence every critic.
Historically, Oyarzabal became only the second player on record (since 1966) to score or assist three goals inside the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup match, joining Hungary's László Fazekas, who did it against El Salvador in 1982. In 2025 alone, he has been involved in 21 goals in 14 matches for Spain — a number that puts him among the most prolific national team performers in all of Europe.
Second Half: Cruise Control, Then an Own Goal Seals It
With a 3-0 lead at the half, coach Luis de la Fuente made the smart call to rest both Yamal and Oyarzabal — why risk your best players when the job is already done? Spain understandably eased off the gas after the break, but Saudi Arabia never really threatened to get back into it.
The fourth goal arrived through an unfortunate own goal from Hassan Al-Tambakti. Marc Cucurella's powerful volley from a corner rebound was initially saved by Saudi goalkeeper Al Owais, but the deflection bounced off Al-Tambakti and into the net. Cruel for Saudi Arabia, but Spain deserved every goal.
A potential fifth was actually ruled out late on — Ferran Torres turned home Fabián Ruiz's cross in stoppage time, but a lengthy VAR review confirmed he was just offside. The final score stayed at 4-0.
By the final whistle, the stats told the whole story: Spain registered 22 shots (9 on target) compared to Saudi Arabia's meager 3 shots (1 on target). Their expected goals (xG) total of 2.85 vs. Saudi Arabia's 0.14 wasn't just a win — it was total domination.
De la Fuente: "It's Crazy to Question This Team"
After the match, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente — who was celebrating his 65th birthday on Sunday, by the way — didn't hold back in defending his side and addressing the post-Cape Verde noise.
"When I said they were fired up I was talking about a natural reaction," de la Fuente told reporters. "Their pride was hurt. The remarks they hear makes them react and that's good. When your work is being questioned, if you have the courage, you always react and try to respond to the criticism."
He added: "I think it's crazy to question this team. We've been unbeaten for 33 games in a row. You can have better days, but doubting this squad of very young players I think it's unfair."
On Yamal's half-time substitution — which had some fans nervous — de la Fuente eased fears: "He would have played for longer, but considering the result and the match was under control we considered his contribution was enough. The next game we could have him for a full match. He's back and he's fit."
Where Does Spain Stand Now?
The result sends Spain to the top of Group H, with Saudi Arabia dropping to the bottom. Here's how things look:
| Team | Played | W | D | L | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 4 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 1 |
| Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
Spain's next challenge? A tough clash against Uruguay on June 26, which could very well decide who tops the group going into the knockout rounds.
The Bigger Picture: Should the Rest of the World Be Worried?
Short answer: yes.
This Spain squad carries the weight of a glittering recent history. They are the reigning European champions (Euro 2024), 2023 UEFA Nations League winners, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions. They haven't just been good in recent years — they've been historically dominant.
But what makes this current generation feel different is the sheer youth of their attack. Lamine Yamal at 18. Nico Williams not far behind. These aren't just talented kids being blooded for the future — they're already leading one of the world's most technically gifted squads right now, at the biggest tournament on the planet.
Spain became the first country since Germany in 2014 to score three goals inside the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup match. That kind of cutting edge, combined with their trademark possession-based football, is a nightmare matchup for any opponent.
Was the Cape Verde result a wobble? Absolutely. Does Sunday's performance mean we should pencil Spain in as serious title contenders again? Also absolutely.
Final Thoughts: Don't Bet Against La Roja
One sluggish draw doesn't define a team. One electric performance doesn't make a champion. But what we saw at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday — the hunger, the quality, the chemistry between young stars like Yamal and veterans like Oyarzabal — reminded the soccer world why Spain arrived in North America as one of the favorites in the first place.
They're not perfect. No team at this stage of the tournament is. But when Lamine Yamal is terrorizing defenses, when Oyarzabal is scoring in bunches, and when a 33-game unbeaten run backs up the hype — Spain is a team no one wants to face in the knockout rounds.
Watch out, World Cup. La Roja is officially up and running. 🇪🇸
Follow all the latest FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage right here. Spain face Uruguay in Group H on June 26.
