Lamine Yamal, 16, inspires Spain to statement win over Croatia at Euro 2024

There were 58 minutes on the clock when Spain won a free-kick 25 yards out and the man – sorry, boy – standing over the ball was still not old enough to drive. It gives you some idea of Lamine Yamal’s standing already within the Spain ranks that a player this young could be entrusted with the responsibility of taking free-kicks from goalscoring range.

Three quickfire goals in 18 scintillating first-half minutes against a shell-shocked Croatia showcased a more ruthless, reimagined Spain and no one better depicted the country’s changing face than the youngest face of them all.

When Yamal arced a quite exquisite pass full of pace and bend in behind Croatia’s back line for Dani Carvajal, displaying a striker’s instincts, to steer home on the volley to give Spain a resounding 3-0 half-time lead, you had to remind yourself that the Barcelona forward is still only 16 years and 338 days old.

His appearance here made him the youngest player in the 64-year history of the competition but the braces and fresh face were the only real clues as to his youth because he plays with a maturity and confidence far beyond his tender years.

Yamal does not turn 17 until a day before the final on July 14 – he was still 12 months from being born when Croatia’s Luka Modric made the first of his nine major tournament appearances at the 2006 World Cup.

But if this repurposed Spain continue to attack with this sort of precision and penetration, and Yamal will be key to it, then they may fancy their chances of being back at Berlin’s Olympiastadion for the competition’s finale next month.

It was hard to marry this fast, direct, incisive, energetic Spain with the one from the World Cup in Qatar 18 months ago. Luis Enrique’s team enjoyed oodles of possession but invariably did precious little with it and seemed to find themselves on a persistently circular route to a goal they too seldom threatened.

The 2024 version under Luis de la Fuente are comfortable in possession as you would expect but not slaves to it – and what a refreshing difference it makes. As Croatia discovered to their cost – coach Zlatko Dalic apologised to their fans for the performance – Spain will not make 10 passes when one will do.

It felt as instructive as it did symbolic that the country’s run of 136 competitive games with more possession than an opponent stretching back 16 years to Euro 2008 final ended here. Croatia had 53 per cent of the ball yet lost, emphatically. It was almost like De la Fuente was intent on exorcising some of the ghosts from Qatar.

“We are turning this national team into a team with many options,” the Spain coach said. “Our opponents know we can hurt them with possession or attacks based on positional play. When we wanted to play on the front foot, we did, and I think we pressed high very well.”

One such direct pass from the excellent Fabián Ruiz sliced Croatia open and got the ball rolling and it somehow felt fitting that the much maligned Alvaro Morata should claim the first.

The former Chelsea striker has often been a lightning rod for Spain’s shortcomings in recent years but he looked far happier with the flying Nico Williams and Yamal on the flanks either side of him and Ruiz and Pedri buzzing around in behind, both persistent, lurking menaces. Morata has had death threats and all sorts of abuse directed at him in the past but it was warming to see so many fans standing to applaud and even hail him with outstretched arms, as if praying to some form of deity, when he took his leave in the 67th minute.

This was his 36th goal on his 74th appearance for his country and puts him fourth in their all-time scoring charts and if the sight of Morata being heralded by the Spanish public becomes a more frequent occurrence then it really might be a signal that something special is unfolding. The player certainly appreciated this rare show of affection. “It is very noticeable when the Spaniards who want to support us come so thanks from everyone to the fans,” he said.

Of course, Spain started the last World Cup with a bang, beating Costa Rica 7-0, only for the rest of the tournament to prove a damp squib. Croatia, it should be noted, had chances and opponents may feel that Spain’s defences can be got at.

But they look a different proposition in attack and could easily have extended their lead early in the second half with only a fine save denying Yamal a goal he richly deserved and Morata squandering the chance of a second.

There was much to like about this high speed, high pressing Spain, unafraid to play long diagonal balls in behind for their rapid wingers to hunt, but perhaps we should start with that pass from Yamal. There is something of the Riyad Mahrez about the teenager, what with that upright stance, deft first touch and the nonchalance with which he waves that devastatingly beautiful left foot and certainly watching him slip in that pass evoked memories of the Algeria and former Manchester City and Leicester playmaker at his best.

Croatia’s defence did not stand a chance. Marin Pongracic was too distracted by the brilliance of Yamal’s ball, it seemed, to notice Carvajal steal in behind him and meet the ball with a controlled volley for his first Spain goal.

“Lamine is impressing everyone and going up through the levels,” De la Fuente said. “He has to keep on improving every day and over time he will become a wonderful footballer.”

Croatia have punched above their weight for a long time on the international scene but this looked like a game when age was finally catching up with them.

The second goal originated from another long diagonal ball. Possession was initially lost before being retrieved and when the ball was then moved at speed by Yamal to Pedri, at 21 another prodigious young talent, to Ruiz, Croatia seemed trapped in a whirlwind. Ruiz cut inside Modric with a delicious back-heel, then shifted his weight to the opposite side to turn away from the advancing Marcelo Brozovic before directing a pinpoint shot through the legs of Josip Sutalo to score. It was a brilliant goal from a midfielder who was playing in Spain’s second tier with Elche only seven years ago.

Ruiz would collect the man of the match award but, as De la Fuente and his staff formed a guard of honour for the players as they walked off at the end, there were extra pats on the head for Yamal and with good reason. This felt like new beginnings from a new generation.

Spain 3 Croatia 0: As it happened

07:07 PM BST

Morata leads from the front

07:00 PM BST

Full time: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Non-event of a second half apart from the penalty drama as Spain cruised to a victory their first-half incisiveness delivered.

Yamal was terrific and Fabian Ruiz scored a lovely goal. Still have concerns about their keeper and the pace of their back four but that was an impressive start.

Croatia lacked penetration throughout. They had a lot of ball but did naff all with it.

06:56 PM BST

90+5 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Cravajal, currently the captain, is tripped to the right of the Spain penalty area. Simon launches the free-kick and the referee gives three blasts and calls time.

06:55 PM BST

90+3 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Oyarzabal is penalised for stepping on Sutalo’s toes when he tried to beat him to a long ball.

06:53 PM BST

90+1 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

The first of five minutes of stoppage time ends with a deep cross from the right for Perisic who is well challenged by Carvajal and heads wide.

06:50 PM BST

88 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

A sense of going through the motions now as Spain knock the ball around.

06:49 PM BST

86 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Croatia, who play Albania next, know that four points will almost be certainly good enough to go through to the last 16 and have been in conservation mode for a while.

06:47 PM BST

84 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Perisic chances his arm with a left-foot shot from about 40 yards but Simon had the time to get down and smother it when it dipped. Rodri, who was booked for the penalty, is down and needs to go off. If it was a foul for the penalty as VAR confirmed, then Rodri should have been sent off.

Ferran Torres ⇢ Yamal

Zubimendi ⇢ Rodri.

06:44 PM BST

82 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

I’m not sure it was a penalty at all in the first place, Petkovic, who came on for Kramaric, seemed to have boarded an invisible pogo stick and threw himself down when Rodri tried to stop him pouncing after Simon’s feet had played Spain into trouble.

06:42 PM BST

No goal!

There was encroachment in the penalty box by Perisic who teed up Petkovic for a tap-in once his penalty had been saved by Simon. Indirect free-kick to Spain.

06:40 PM BST

GOAL!

Spain 3 Croatia 1 (Petkovic)

06:40 PM BST

No, the penalty stands

VAR sticks with the referee’s judgment.

06:39 PM BST

Croatia penalty?

Looked like a blatant dive to me.

06:38 PM BST

75 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Long diagonal finds Perisic wide on the right and the Tottenham forward takes it in his stride, picks up his head and tries to bend a left-foot cross towards Kramaric but it dips too soon. Simon calls for it and catches.

06:35 PM BST

73 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Dani Olmo strides forward and scuffs a low shot from 25 yards straight at Livakovic.

06:35 PM BST

71 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Spain are hogging the ball now, killing the game by making Croatia chase shadows.

06:31 PM BST

68 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Oyarzabal goes through the middle with Dani Olmo on the left and Yamal still on the right as Spain sweep passes around.

06:29 PM BST

66 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Morata, who has been suffering from a viral illness, cannot carry on and two minutes after he first signalled that he needed to come off and removed the armband, Spain complete the substitution:

Oyarzabal ⇢ Morata

Merino ⇢ Williams.

06:27 PM BST

64 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Two Croatia changes:

Sucic ⇢ Modric

Pasalic ⇢ Kovacic.

06:26 PM BST

62 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Some Croatia booing as Spain refuse to put the ball out with a Croatia player down and Yamal sets off on a solo mission up a cul de sac.

06:22 PM BST

60 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Croatia pour forward and Kramaric whips over a right-wing cross that Carvajal, almost with a cigar on the go, chests it calmly back to Simon.

06:20 PM BST

58 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

First changes:

Perisic ⇢ Budimir

Dani Olmo ⇢ Pedri.

06:18 PM BST

55 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Croatia have six bites at the cherry in the box when Stanisic, Majer and Budimir try to convert during a mad goalmouth scramble. Stanisic could have lifted his shot but hit it too low, allowing Cucurella to make a vital block and then Budimir misses another headed opportunity close in as Simon bore down on him.

06:16 PM BST

52 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Spain counter at pace after Majer, instead of shooting from 20 yards when teed up by Brozovic, tries to tee up Budimir but misplaces the pass. Williams takes the ball upfield down the left and slips in Morata who is fouled but the ref waves play on and Pedri gathers the ball as kit breaks loose and hurtles into the box before, at the last moment, tapping it with his toe to Yamal entering the area from the right. The wingers shoots, opening his body to wrap his left foot around it and Livakovic makes a fine save low to his right as Yamal was wheeling away to celebrate.

06:12 PM BST

50 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Pongracic is penalised for a tackle from behind in Rodrigo. A late one, too. But Spain play the free-kick backwards and when Croatia win it back Modric bends a pass with the outside of his right boot that almost puts Kramaric through.

06:09 PM BST

48 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

Sutalo gives the ball away to Morata who tacks from right to left and feeds Cucurella. Yamal, Pedri and Carvajal are screaming for a cross back to the right but the left-back lays it off to Fabian who loses the ball as Stanisic snaps into the tackle.

06:07 PM BST

46 min: Spain 3 Croatia 0

No changes yet but Ivan Perisic spent half-time limbering up so it should not be too long before the veteran is sent on.

05:58 PM BST

Half-time verdict

A word on that pass from Lamine Yamal who, let us not forget, is still only 16 and now the youngest player in the 64-year history of these championships. Whipped in, with speed and bend, it was a defender’s nightmare and finished beautifully by right back Dani Carvajal, who displayed a striker’s instinct to sneak in behind Marin Pongracic and steer home a volley. Croatia came from 3-1 behind to take their last 16 tie to extra-time courtesy of two late goals in Copenhagen three years ago so Luis de la Fuente will be impressing on his players that the job is not yet done but this has been a display of clinical attacking from Spain.

Croatia have actually had good chances to pull a goal or two back. Ante Budimir should have turned in Gvardiol’s cross and Majer done better with a rebound from a save from a Brozovic shot but it was deathly quiet among the 50,000 Croatia fans when that third goal went in.

05:52 PM BST

Half-time: Spain 3 Croatia 0

That line in the preview about this being a tight one? No one knows anything. Oddly, though, it was only when Croatia started to have more possession and take the game to Spain that the breakthrough came. One misplaced pass and Spain opened up the defence and it’s all been downhill from there.

05:48 PM BST

GOAL!

Spain 3 Croatia 0 (Carvajal)  Gvardiol has had a fine season at left-back for City but Spain are targeting him today. A minute ago the electric Williams beat him and tried to set up Pedri for a tap-in but mis-hit the set-up but then Yamal has a run at him and bends a left-foot cross around him and Carvajal, on the underlap, is there to stab in his maiden goal for La Roja.

05:47 PM BST

44 min: Spain 2 Croatia 0

Cucurella shows his willowy strength when challenged to the left of the Croatia box and the ball breaks to Williams who seems to pull out of the muck and nettles by withdrawing his foot rather than trying to flick it in and risk injury as Sutalo had a swipe at it.

Kramaric has a dig from 28 yards and the shot sails over the bar.

05:45 PM BST

42 min: Spain 2 Croatia 0

Pedri needs treatment after wearing a Kovacic shot flush in the mooey.

05:44 PM BST

40 min: Spain 2 Croatia 0

Big chance for Croatia when Majer is picked out down the right and despite being fouled he bends a cross through the six-yard box. Carvajal lets it go to Gvardiol who hits it with his left which bends the ball slightly away from goal. It goes clean through Simon’s hands and there’s Budimir at the other post who only needs a touch but misses it entirely.

Spain can’t win this tournament with Simon in goal, I think.

05:41 PM BST

36 min: Spain 2 Croatia 0

Cucurella and Morata are momentarily hurt by heavy but fair tackles.

05:40 PM BST

Fab!

A little appreciation for Fabian Ruiz. Most of the talk is about other midfielders and attackers in this Spain side - Rodri, Pedri, Yamal - and less about the Seville-born Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. But he’s just exerted huge influence on this game in the space of three dizzying minutes, first with the pass to release Morata to score the opener and then with a lovely twist, turn and finish for Spain’s second.

05:38 PM BST

33 min: Spain 2 Croatia 0

Croatia almost halve the lead from the kick-off when Brozovic gets forward and his fizzing daisycutter and Simon parries it out to Majer on the right of the box and he thumps his shot into the side-netting with the keeper supine on the deck.

05:33 PM BST

GOAL!

Spain 2 Croatia 0 (Fabian Ruiz)  Terrific skill from the PSG man to finish off a move he started by receiving the ball in the box from the right, spinning and hitting a shot that clipped Sutalo’s knee and took it into the bottom right corner. Lovely touch to take Pedri’s pass from Yamal’s cross after clipping the long pass up to the Barcelona prodigy himself and he sent Modric off to buy an Evening Post with the way he moved.

05:29 PM BST

GOAL!

Spain 1 Croatia 0 (Morata)  Well as Croatia have been playing, they decided to gamble and push Stanisic and Gvardiol high with Kovacic also in front of the ball. So when Rodri intercepts a pass infield and slips it up to Morata, they are outnumbered. The centre-backs had split when in possession and Morata ran through the gap as they tried in vain to converge on him and he tucked a neat left-foot finish past Livakovic from 18 yards, diddling the keeper by taking it early.

05:28 PM BST

26 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Croatia have definitely taken a grip on the game now with their three grandmasters, Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic, bossing midfield in front of Rodri who is dropping between Le Normand and Nacho when Croatia have the ball.

05:25 PM BST

23 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Now Croatia bomb down the right and Stanisic stands up a fantastic cross to the right of the penalty spot. Budimir goes up for it, challenged by Le Normand, and heads wide. Given Le Normand’s position I don’t think that was a clear-cut chance as he tightened the angle.

05:23 PM BST

21 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Nice work from Kovacic to slip a diagonal pass into the box to the left of the penalty spot but Simon races out to beat Kramaric to it.

05:22 PM BST

19 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Croatia are having more possession now, Kovacic taking the ball and dribbling more, which is his superpower, breaking the lines.

05:19 PM BST

16 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Majer buys a foul off Cucurella, dipping his shoulder in to the Chelsea left-back then throwing himself to the ground. The free-kick is on the right, about 19 yards out. Majer takes and hits the first man. Morata heads it clear. Modric let him take that but gives him a look as if to say, no mas.

05:16 PM BST

14 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

And it is Gvardiol who gives them an outlet with a strong run up the left but he cannot control the long pass before it goes out. Then Cucurella wins a tackle and slips the ball up Yamal who tries to shift the ball past Pongracic to shoot but he cannot get past him in time. Rather a heavy touch, too.

05:14 PM BST

12 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Spain’s press is stopping Croatia doing anything constructive with the ball. They are masters of attrition, technically excellent and clinical on the break so it won’t faze them too much. ITV reckons they’re playing 4-3-3 but I’m not sure they are. Gvardiol is at left-back not centre-back though.

05:11 PM BST

10 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Foul on Morata, a chop across the ankles, gives Spain a free-kick 35 yards out, left of centre. Williams stands over it and tries to chip it to the right of the box, over Croatia’s defensive line, but it skips off the turf and bounces safely out for a goal-kick.

05:09 PM BST

8 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Twice in a minute Spain threaten down both flanks, Williams piercing the back line but thwarted by Sutalo’s recovery tackle and then Yamal comes down the right and plays a cure ball infield for Morata and then makes the run for the return but Morata takes on the shot instead of the one-two and fires it straight at Livakovic.

05:07 PM BST

6 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Carvajal is pushed high, too, joining Yamal in a two v one on Gvardiol. Yamal passes it back to the Real Madrid full-back who hits the first man with his cross.

05:06 PM BST

4 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Morata is staying high up the field. No false nine he. The far half of the pitch is in shade, the closer half in brilliant sunshine and it’s down that flank that Spain try to thread a pass into the box for Yamal. Nothing doing, though, as the pass is overhit.

05:04 PM BST

2 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Williams takes the ball up the left, beats Majer but his ball through for Pedri is picked off by Sutalo.

05:02 PM BST

1 min: Spain 0 Croatia 0

Croatia, attacking from right to left, kick-off and launch a chip up the left and straight out for a throw-in. Spain seize the opportunity to hog the ball at the back and in midfield as they’re whistled by the Croatia fans. It’s a piercing tone.

04:58 PM BST

By contrast

Spain link arms over each other’s shoulders to observe their wordless anthem.

04:56 PM BST

Out come the teams

And Croatia are wearing blue tracksuit tops as they clasp their hearts with their right hands while singing the national anthem.

04:56 PM BST

Croatia turn Berlin red and white

So the Olympic Stadium holds around 75,000 and the estimates are about 50,000 Croatia fans have made it into the ground. It’s a sea of red, white and blue and feels like a home game for them. The Spain fans are tucked away in a corner, outnumbered and (currently at least) being comprehensively outsung.

04:48 PM BST

38 vs 16

It’s a little mad that Luka Modric was here at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin with Croatia at the 2006 World Cup, the year before Lamine Yamal was born. Modric is now at major tournament No 9 and this is cap 176. He’s 39 in September – a month before Wayne Rooney hits the same age.

04:47 PM BST

The captains: A Madrid affair, Atletico vs Real

04:43 PM BST

The scene from the stands

04:37 PM BST

Today’s referee

Is Ashington’s Michael Oliver and the VAR is Anthony Taylor of Manchester. The last time Oliver had a Spain game in a tournament was in the Euro 2020 quarter-final when he sent off Switzerland’s Remo Freuler for a scissoring. The last time he reffed Croatia at a tournament? Their victory over Brazil on pens in the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup.

04:30 PM BST

One last look at those teams

04:29 PM BST

Ian Wright pays tribute to his friend Kevin Campbell

04:24 PM BST

Two years on

I was in Qatar for Spain’s 7-0 demolition of a dreadful Costa Rica but it’s fair to say that opening World Cup game proved something of a false dawn for La Roja. Luis Enrique’s team passed the ball a lot but did precious little with it, never more so than in their last 16 defeat to Morocco on penalties. I was at that too and my abiding memory is a distraught looking Rodri alone on the pitch long after most of his team-mates had disappeared to the sanctuary of the dressing room. Luis de la Fuente’s Spain are different, though. Yes, there’s possession but they are more vertical and can attack more directly and at great speed by virtue of their wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. I’m expecting a really good game against Croatia.

04:22 PM BST

James Ducker travelled to the stadium with Croatia fans

04:17 PM BST

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04:13 PM BST

Croatia stick to 4-2-3-1

Livakovic (Fenerbahce); Stanisic (Bayer Leverkusen), Sutalo (Ajax), Gvardiol (Man City), Pongracic (Lecce); Modric (Real Madrid), Brozovic (Al Nassr); Majer (Wolfsburg), Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Kovacic (Man City); Budimir (Osasuna).

04:08 PM BST

Spain line-up in a 4-3-3

Simon (Athletic Bilbao); Cravajal (Real Madrid), Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Nacho (Real Madrid, Cucurella (Chelsea); Pedri (Barcelona), Rodri (Man City), Ruiz (PSG); Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Morata (Atletico Madrid), Yamal (Barcelona).

04:05 PM BST

Croatia team news

Perisic isn’t fit enough to start

04:01 PM BST

Spain team news

Laporte injured, Yamal and Cucurella start.

03:56 PM BST

How do you think this one will go?

03:54 PM BST

Preview: Vets vs kids? Not quite

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the third match from Euro 2024, and the first from Group B, between Spain, who go to Berlin’s Olympiastadion as winners of their qualification group, and Croatia who qualified as runners-up to Turkey, to whom they surprisingly lost at home as well as a shock defeat by Armenia.

Croatia’s pedigree at World Cups – third in 1998, second in 2018, third in 2022 – is not matched at the Euros since their dramatic debut as a nation in 1996 when they made the quarter-finals. In the last two continental tournaments they have been knocked out in the Round of 16 and go again with the core of veterans – the retirements of Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic notwithstanding – who drove them so far in Russia and Qatar. Luka Modric at 38, Ivan Perisic and Domago Vida at 35, Andrej Kamaric 32, Marcelo Brozovic, 31, and Mateo Kovacic at 30 continue to be mainstays, either with a century of caps or on the verge of becoming centurions.

Spain, by contrast, have a stellar Euros record – winners in 1964, 2008 and 2012 – and have, at least, superficially been on a rejuvenation trip under Luis de la Fuente who stepped up to the top job in succession to Luis Enrique after five years as U19 manager and four with the U21s. Calling up the wonderful 16-year-old Barcelona winger, Lamine Yamal, who is going to start today, and giving key roles to the 21-year-olds Pedri and Nico Williams and previously Gavi, who is out with an ACL injury, takes the headlines.

But he has also given a new lease of life to Jesus Navas, 38, Nacho and Joselu, 34, and Dani Carvajal, 31. Making Alvaro Morata, a mouse at Chelsea and Real Madrid, a lion at Juve and Atlético, captain has been a masterstroke and he led them to victory in the Nations League last year… beating Croatia in the final but no’ but just as the Tykes say, on penalties after 120 minutes of stalemate at De Kuip. I suspect it will be just as tight today.