In Seville, a nation still savoring its World Cup triumph returned to the familiar rhythms of competition, and the result was a reminder that greatness, once found, does not easily loosen its grip. Spain dismantled Croatia 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League, with the young Lamine Yamal at the center of everything, extending an unbeaten European run to 40 matches — the longest in the continent's recorded history. Some teams win; others, for a time, seem to inhabit a different plane of the game entirely.
Yamal shines as Spain extend unbeaten run with dominant Croatia victory
Yamal curled a low shot inside the far post in the second minute
Mark
So Yamal scored twice and set up another. That's three direct goal contributions in one match. Is he becoming the player who makes Spain tick right now?
Mimi
He's certainly playing that role. He opened the scoring in the second minute against Croatia just as he had against England on Saturday. There's a pattern forming—he's in the right spaces, he's making the right decisions, and he's finishing when he needs to.
Luke
But let's be careful here. Two goals and an assist in one match is excellent, but we're talking about one game. The unbeaten streak is 40 matches—that's the real story. That's not Yamal alone. That's a system, a team, multiple players performing over time.
Mark
Fair point. So the 40-match unbeaten run—how much of that is recent form versus the weight of history?
Mimi
It's a European record, which is significant. But you're right that it's cumulative. Some of those matches were under different circumstances, different pressure. What matters now is that Spain has won their first two Nations League matches without dropping points.
Luke
And Croatia scored once, so it wasn't a shutout. They're not invincible. England also won their match, so the group is still competitive. We shouldn't overstate the dominance just because the scoreline was 4-1.
Mark
What about the context—this was Spain's first home match since winning the World Cup. Does that change how we read the performance?
Mimi
It adds texture, certainly. There's momentum, there's confidence, there's the ceremonial element of parading the trophy. But ultimately, they still had to go out and perform, and they did.
Luke
The real test will be how they perform in tougher matches. One win over England at Wembley and one home win over Croatia tells us they're strong, but it doesn't tell us everything we need to know about this group's trajectory.
El Pulso
- Croatia briefly unsettled the hosts with an equalizer in the 28th minute, threatening to complicate what had looked like a coronation.
- Spain answered within three minutes, and the match never truly hung in the balance again — the home side's quality was simply too deep to be denied.
- Lamine Yamal, just 18, scored twice and assisted a third, cementing his status as the most dangerous young player in world football right now.
- The 40-match unbeaten streak across European competition is now a continental record, a number that reframes Spain not as a team on a run, but as a generation defining an era.
- England's 2-0 win over a 10-man Czech Republic moved them into second place, ensuring the group will remain competitive — even if Spain's throne looks increasingly secure.
In Seville, a nation still savoring its World Cup triumph returned to the familiar rhythms of competition, and the result was a reminder that greatness, once found, does not easily loosen its grip. Spain dismantled Croatia 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League, with the young Lamine Yamal at the center of everything, extending an unbeaten European run to 40 matches — the longest in the continent's recorded history. Some teams win; others, for a time, seem to inhabit a different plane of the game entirely.
Spain's homecoming after winning the World Cup was never going to be quiet, but few could have anticipated quite how emphatic the statement would be. In Seville on Tuesday, La Roja dismantled Croatia 4-1 in their UEFA Nations League Group A3 match, with Lamine Yamal scoring twice and setting up a third in a performance that extended Spain's unbeaten European run to 40 consecutive matches — a record without precedent on the continent.
The occasion carried its own weight before a ball was kicked. Rodri paraded the World Cup trophy on the pitch, and within two minutes Yamal had curled a low shot inside the far post to open the scoring. Croatia pushed back, and Dion Beljo's header in the 28th minute briefly leveled things, but Spain's response was immediate — Yamal's whipped cross from the right found Marc Pubill, whose header restored the lead before the half-hour mark had passed.
The second half belonged entirely to the hosts. Yamal collected a pass from Pedri and, from a tight angle, drilled his second goal past Livakovic in the 63rd minute. Nico Williams, introduced from the bench, added a fourth in the 89th to complete a comprehensive evening's work. It was Spain's second win in as many group matches, and their second without conceding more than once.
The result came just three days after Spain had beaten England 3-2 at Wembley, and the group is beginning to take its shape — England moved into second place after defeating a 10-man Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague. But the broader picture is one of Spanish dominance: a record unbeaten streak, a young superstar growing into his moment, and a team that, for now, appears to be playing a game the rest of Europe is still trying to learn.
Spain's homecoming after winning the World Cup turned into a statement of intent. Lamine Yamal, the young winger who had already announced himself on the international stage, scored twice and set up a third as La Roja dismantled Croatia 4-1 in their UEFA Nations League Group A3 match on Tuesday. The victory extended Spain's unbeaten run across European competition to 40 consecutive matches—a record that now stands as the longest in the continent's history.
The match was a rematch of the 2023 Nations League final, which Spain had won on penalties. This time, there would be no drama, no extra time. Before kickoff in Seville, Rodri paraded the World Cup trophy on the pitch, a reminder of what this team had just accomplished in July. The celebration continued almost immediately. In the second minute, Yamal collected a pass from Alex Baena that had been dummied by Fermin Lopez and curled a low shot inside the far post. Spain looked ready to run away with it early.
Baena had another chance moments later, but Croatia's keeper Dominik Livakovic turned it away. Then, unexpectedly, the visitors equalized. Dion Beljo rose above the Spanish defense in the 28th minute to head past the goalkeeper. For a moment, the script had shifted. But Spain's response was swift. Within three minutes, Yamal whipped a cross from the right wing into the six-yard box, and Marc Pubill powered a header beyond Livakovic to restore the lead.
The match was effectively decided by the 63rd minute. Yamal collected a pass from Pedri in the box and, from a tight angle, drilled his second goal into the net. Nico Williams, brought on as a substitute, added a fourth in the 89th minute to seal a comprehensive performance. Spain had now won their opening two matches in the group stage without conceding more than one goal in either.
The victory came three days after Spain had beaten England 3-2 at Wembley, a result that had already signaled their intent in this competition. Meanwhile, England moved into second place in the group after a 2-0 win over a 10-man Czech Republic in Prague, leapfrogging Slaven Bilic's Croatia side. The group was beginning to take shape, but Spain's dominance—their record unbeaten streak, their clinical finishing, the emergence of Yamal as a decisive force—suggested they would be the ones to beat.
Citas Notables
Spain maintained their perfect start to UEFA Nations League Group A3 with a 4-1 home win over Croatia— Match report
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