One swing of Lamine Yamal's left boot, 62 seconds after kick-off, turned a night of Seville celebration into another demonstration of Spain's post-World Cup dominance. The teenager scored twice and created a third as Spain beat Croatia 4-1 to move clear at the top of UEFA Nations League Group A3.
Spain's first home fixture since lifting the World Cup carried symbolic weight before a ball was struck. Captain Rodri paraded the trophy after receiving it from 2010 winner and Sevilla icon Jesús Navas. Once the football started, the world champions gave the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán crowd the performance to match the ceremony.
Yamal strikes twice in statement display
The opener arrived after just two minutes when Álex Baena found Yamal, whose finish set the tone for a night Spain controlled at 64 percent possession. Croatia responded through Dion Drena Beljo in the 28th minute, the forward netting his first senior international goal on his third cap from an Ivan Perišić assist. The parity lasted three minutes. Marc Pubill restored Spain's lead in the 31st minute from a Yamal assist, and the hosts never looked back.
Yamal's second goal came in the 63rd minute, this time from a Pedri pass, before Nico Williams completed the rout in the 89th minute after Mikel Merino's assist. Spain registered 16 shots to Croatia's five, seven of them on target against two.
Modrić ovation frames changing of the guard
When Luka Modrić entered as an 81st-minute substitute, the crowd rose for the Croatian veteran. It was a moment of respect that also underlined the shift in generations. Croatia manager Slaven Bilić, whose side took three points from their opener under a new head coach, offered a succinct assessment: "The 2010 team didn't have Lamine."
Spain's 40-match unbeaten run across all competitions now stretches deeper into European record territory, with nine consecutive victories. The result leaves Spain on six points from two matches in League A Group 3, three clear of both England and Croatia.
The homecoming was about more than a trophy parade. Spain returned to Seville as world champions and played like a side determined to stay on top. Croatia arrived with a new coach but left with a familiar feeling against this Spanish generation.
Match Information
Competition: UEFA Nations League
Date & Time: Tuesday 29 September 2026, 20:45 CET
Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Seville
Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk
