Spain beat the Czech Republic 3-1 at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, and Lamine Yamal was the first scorer, striking in the 6th minute before Rodri made it 2-0 in the 35th. After the game, Luis de la Fuente used the result to say the teenager is already operating at international level, but still has more to give.
De la Fuente's view of Yamal
"He never ceases to amaze us all. He has so much talent and quality that we haven’t seen the best of Lamine yet. He’s growing by leaps and bounds, and we’re thrilled about it. We’re very happy with him," de la Fuente said, quoted by barcauniversal.com. In comments translated from French to Foot Mercato, he also said: "He is already a reference at the international level, and he is becoming a legendary player."
That is strong praise, and it fits what Yamal has been doing on the pitch. He has 4 goals in Spain's last 3 matches, 7 goals in 7 La Liga appearances this season for Barcelona, and 4 goals in 3 UEFA Nations League appearances for Spain.
Spain's win and the late finish
The match was not only about Yamal. Spain controlled it after the early burst, and Mikel Merino finished the job with an 89th-minute goal. The Czech Republic were reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute when Ladislav Krejci was sent off for a second yellow card leading to a red card.
De la Fuente's comments landed because they matched the performance and the output. Yamal is producing for Spain and Barcelona at the same time, and Spain's next fixture is away to Croatia on October 6.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
