Spain beat Croatia 1-4 in Spain vs Croatia, and Lamine Yamal drove almost everything good about it. He finished with 2 goals and 1 assist, scoring in the 2nd minute and again in the 63rd, with his cross also creating Spain's second. What could have passed as another routine Nations League win turned into a reminder that Spain have far more than one elite attacker.

Yamal decided the game early and late

Yamal gave Spain the ideal start by scoring in the 2nd minute, and Croatia were chasing the game straight away. Even when they managed to level through Dion Drena Beljo in the 28th minute, Spain's response was quick and emphatic.

Marc Pubill restored the lead in the 31st minute after a Yamal cross, which summed up the night neatly. Yamal was not just finishing moves, he was making them. His final line of 2 goals and 1 assist tells the story on its own, and the single rating worth using backs it up too, a 9.4 that was the best on the pitch.

His second goal arrived in the 63rd minute, with Pedri supplying the assist, and that felt like the point where Croatia's resistance really gave way. Spain had control before then, but the third goal reflected how much cleaner they were in the key moments.

There was a lot to like in the way Spain spread the threat around him as well. Nico Williams finished the game off in the 89th minute, giving Spain four goals in total and leaving Croatia with very little to show for the spells when they did get up the pitch.

Spain's depth made this more than a one-man show

Yamal was the headline, but the wider point for Spain is that the supporting cast kept the level high. Pubill did more than arrive for a finish, and Pedri's assist for the third goal was another sign that Spain can build attacks from several areas rather than forcing everything through one star.

That is why this performance felt stronger than a straightforward big scoreline. Spain had an 18-year-old deciding the game, but they also had enough structure around him to keep Croatia pinned back. Pubill got his goal, Williams got his goal, and Spain still looked balanced rather than stretched.

The recent results add weight to that. Spain had already beaten England 3-2 in their opening Nations League match, and this win leaves them top of Group 3 in League A. They are also unbeaten in 40 matches, which is the sort of run that makes a four-goal home win look less like a flash performance and more like the standard they are setting.

The back line gave Spain the platform

Luis de la Fuente also got a steady night from the defensive unit. Dean Huijsen started alongside Pau Cubarsí Paredes in central defence, while Marc Cucurella started at left-back. Spain only conceded once, and that mattered in a game where the attacking players were doing enough to win it comfortably if the platform held.

Huijsen completed 90 minutes and Cucurella also stayed on for the full match. Neither needed to dominate the headlines because Spain's attacking edge had already done that, but the shape behind the ball looked solid enough and Croatia never turned the contest into the kind of open game that might have complicated things.

Spain now move on with another emphatic result, a 40-match unbeaten run and a performance in which Yamal scored in the 2nd minute, created Pubill's goal in the 31st and added another in the 63rd before Williams capped the 4-1 win in the 89th.

FAQ

Why was Lamine Yamal the key player in Spain's win over Croatia?

Yamal finished with 2 goals and 1 assist in Spain's 4-1 win over Croatia. He scored in the 2nd minute, created Marc Pubill's goal in the 31st, then struck again in the 63rd. He was involved in three of Spain's four goals, which made him the clear driver of the result.

How did Spain control the game against Croatia in the Nations League?

Spain took control early through Yamal's goal in the 2nd minute and regained command quickly after Dion Drena Beljo equalised in the 28th. Pubill scored three minutes later from a Yamal cross, and Pedri assisted Yamal's second in the 63rd. Spain's back line also held up, with Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella both starting.

What does Spain's win over Croatia say about their squad depth?

The result showed more than just Yamal's quality. Pubill scored, Nico Williams added the fourth in the 89th minute, and Pedri contributed an assist. Spain also had Huijsen at centre-back and Cucurella at left-back in a side that still conceded only once. It looked like a team with options across the pitch, not a one-man show.

Are Spain in strong form after beating Croatia?

Yes. Spain are now unbeaten in 40 matches after the win over Croatia, and they remain top of Group 3 in League A. They had also opened this Nations League campaign with a 3-2 win over England, so the Croatia result fits a broader run of control and results.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 9 outlets. How we work →