Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised Lamine Yamal after his first major tournament appearance on Saturday, highlighting the 16-year-old’s potential to become a standout player.
Yamal assisted defender Dani Carvajal for Spain’s third goal and nearly scored himself in the second half, thwarted only by a superb one-handed save from Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
“Yamal is impressing everyone and moving up the ranks,” said De la Fuente after Spain’s 3-0 win against Croatia in Group B.
“He must keep improving every day to become a great footballer over time.” At 16 years and 338 days old, Yamal still has much to work on to reach the level of players like Fabian Ruiz, who was named the match’s standout performer with one goal created and another scored.
Spain dominated Croatia with a commanding 3-0 victory, scoring all three goals in a brilliant first half to secure a strong start in their Euro 2024 Group B debut on Saturday.
The Spaniards, aiming for a record fourth Euro title, showcased their prowess with quick strikes – Fabian Ruiz assisted Alvaro Morata in the 29th minute and then added a goal of his own shortly after.