"I would highlight Lamine Yamal's work collectively and individually. He always puts his football at the service of the group." That was Luis de la Fuente's verdict after Spain's 4-1 win over Croatia in Seville, a night that also brought Lamine Yamal two goals and an assist.
De la Fuente's message on Yamal
The Spain coach had more than one line of praise for the teenager. Speaking to Relevo, he added: "It is a privilege that he is with us. He is a person who is easy to love."
That fits the way Yamal played against Croatia. He scored twice, created another goal and finished with a 9.4 rating, the kind of output that can dominate a match without Spain having to turn it into a one-man show. De la Fuente's point was plain enough, the performance still worked because the rest of the side fed into it.
The Ballon d'or talk sits alongside the team angle
There is another reading of the same night. Yamal's recent Spain numbers have inevitably pushed him into Ballon d'Or talk, and the weight of two goals and one assist against Croatia will only add to that.
Yamal has now scored 3 goals across his last 2 Spain Nations League appearances, and he said: "I’m not just playing for the Ballon d’Or. I’m playing for myself, for the fans, to keep on winning."
De la Fuente was clearly pushing back against the idea that the story belongs to one player alone. Spain won 4-1, Yamal supplied the decisive edge, and the coach wanted the emphasis kept on the collective rather than the individual hype around him.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
