Luis de la Fuentes, the Spain coach, has been speaking, and also explaining why he changed his clothes at half-time: “We had an exceptional first half and a good second half as well, and above all, it allows us to maintain consistency and face the important matches ahead. Uruguay will be a difficult and very tough match.
“Rodri also had a fantastic game, both centre-backs were extraordinary. Lamine is in perfect condition to play full matches, and what can we say about Oyarzabal? He’d had a few minor issues, which we can’t reveal everything about, but he always delivers an exceptional performance.
“Because it was very hot despite the air conditioning, and I was more comfortable in more casual clothes … Nobody likes having their work and ability doubted. The players’ reaction is understandable. It was a statement of intent, a way to reclaim our place and give continuity to a project that’s been in the works for some time.”
Updated
Sid Lowe’s report from Atlanta has landed.
Lamine scored ten minutes into his first start since suffering a hamstring injury in April and Mikel Oyarzabal added two more in the first quarter. By the end it was four and it could hardly have worked out more nicely, Spain’s victory secured so early that the coach could use the occasion to offer opportunities to those that needed them, Mikel Merino and Nico Williams invited to join the party too. De la Fuente said that Spain wanted to be Spain again, and here they were.
Stat via Opta: “With two goals and an assist, Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal is only the second player on record (from 1966) to score or assist three goals in the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup match, after Hungary’s László Fazekas against El Salvador in 1982 (1 goal, 2 assists).”
Stat via Fifa: “Lamine Yamal (18 years and 343 days) has become the eighth youngest goalscorer in World Cup history, and the second youngest for Spain at the tournament. Only Gavi’s goal against Costa Rica in 2022 was scored at a younger age (18 years and 110 days).”
Let’s go off to the England camp.
Chalobah was on holiday with a friend in New York. He had been in Monaco the previous weekend for the Formula OneGrand Prix before popping along the Côte d’Azur to Cannes, then heading to the Big Apple on the Saturday. The plan after that was to go to Los Angeles.
The funny thing was Chalobah did not see the message from Tuchel straight away. “I was in Times Square,” he says. “I’d gone to the shops. It was when I got back to my hotel I saw Thomas had texted but it was two hours before. I didn’t see the message for two hours. I wasn’t on my phone. I was just walking around.”
That means Spain top Group H on four points, the rest – Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Cape Verde on one point, the latter two to play later in Miami.
Full-time: Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia
There was no repeat of the Cape Verde crisis, and the first half saw Spain as we know them, pulling Saudi Arabia apart as Lamine Yamal scored and Mikel Oyarzabal scored two – he might have had more. Job done for Spain, crisis over. The Saudis are still alive, too, and beat Cape Verde in the third group game and they can go through.
90+5 min: Ferran Torres probably knew his fate, and “after review”, that’s the score reduced to a mere four. That took its time, and looked offside. One for the Wenger daylight crew to consider.
90+3 min: Torres looks pensive as he waits for his big goals to be ruled in or out. This is a very long VAR wait. Jeers and boos ring out.
Torres goal ruled out by VAR
A tap-in, as Fabian Ruiz fizzes the ball across, and Torres taps in, and here comes a VAR check. It was tight.
Updated
90 min: Six minutes added on, and it’s walking pace at the moment.
89 min: This is a long break, medics aplenty dealing with Kanno, who has taken a nasty cut and is being bandaged up. He will be replaced by Al Ghannam. Or will he? No, it’s Nasser Al Dawsari who departs.
87 min: A collision, and sore heads for Kanno and Alaa Heiji, which leads to a break in play.
85 min: The Saudis venturing forward, and Spain seem happy to let them have it in a manner their high press of the first half did not allow. There’s well over 30 seconds of Saudi possession, surely a high over the whole game.
84 min: Fair to say that full-time is anticipated by both teams. It’s been a good workout for Spain, some faith restored though the lack of Lamine Yamal, even though he wasn’t at his best, in the second half suggests they need their key man fit and firing.
82 min: Al-Owais makes a fine save, to prevent an own-goal from Al Tambakti, though there was already a flag on the play.
80 min: An actual save to make for Unai Simon, as Al-Hamdan shoots, speculatively to say the least.
79 min: Pino and Ferran Torres try to link on the attack, neither yet to replicate the movement of Oyarzabal in the first half. The gas has been stepped off, admittedly.
78 min: Niall Mullen gets in touch: “While I don’t want to stereotype the Saudi side, I’m not sure many of them would be willing to sit in the dentist’s chair.” The reference was to root-canal work rather than a Singapore Sling.
77 min: Up in the posh seats, Gianni Infantino is sat with Michel Salgado, Spain, Real Madrid and Blackburn Rovers legend.
75 min: Spain recycle possession, and Fabian Ruiz’s ball is hoiked clear. Saudi looking to keep the score down even if “goal differential” is not as an important as it might be. It is useful in the count-back for the third-place matches.
73 min: De La Fuente looks on, stone-faced. Job done on his big birthday. His squad is so full of talent, and has shown that Cape Verde might just have been an aberration. Spain lost their first game of the 2010 World Cup by losing to Switzerland.
72 min: Pam gets in touch: “Enjoying the MBM. Keep up the good work. Re Justin Kavanagh’s 59th minute comment: Vozinha and Cape Verde on the other hand can channel MLK verbatim “I had a dream.””
Will it continue in Miami?
71 min: Spain change: Pedri has gone off, as Fabian Ruiz arrives, not a bad replacement to have.
70 min: Kari Tulinius gets in touch: “This match reminds of two prior World Cup matches involving Saudi Arabia, an 8-0 loss to Germany in 2002 and a 5-0 loss to Russia in 2018. While both teams went on to do well, they weren’t as impressive as the result suggested. It feels crazy to think that about this Spanish side, but that’s how I feel watching them. Germany got to the final in 2002, so Spain shouldn’t worry too much what I think.”
69 min: Here’s the boos, as it’s a hydration break. For the Saudis, just over 20 minutes to go of being sat in the dentist’s chair.
67 min: The Saudis are sat in back four now, bit still sat as deep as the Marianas Trench. Now that Williams is on, they have retreated yet deeper.
66 min: Unai Simon watches the ball drift over him to Porro. He could have played this game in a Mickey Mouse costume and got away with it.
65 min: What a ball from Merino but Ferran Torres cannot make the best of it. He has a couple of ghosts to bury from the Cape Verde near-calamity.
64 min: Peter Oh returns: “I’d also like to request statistics on Adidas Trionda bursts. Could this ball be the new King of Pop?”
62 min: Spain subs: Merino and Nico Williams replace Baena and Dani Olmo. For the Saudis, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat has come on, as has Alaa Heji, Al Amri and Al-Burakain are the two going off.
60 min: Spain’s possession is more sterile in that first half. There’s a concern as Rodri takes a bashing from Kanno, who is booked, though it looked a complete accident.
59 min: Justin Kavanagh gets in touch: “Nice to read of Rodri indulging his Uruguayan dreams. On that note, I think most of these overrun Saudis will look back on their visit to the home of Martin Luther King Jr., and reflect “I had a nightmare.”
57 min: Spain will have their eyes on Uruguay now. They play Cape Verde later in Miami. Just £420, those.
55 min: The Saudis are looking to their final match now. That’s against Cape Verde, in Houston, and a quick ticket check suggests you can be there for a mere £336.
54 min: Nigel in Toronto is looking for a statistician: “Hi, John, I agree with Andre Street. Does someone know how many shots have gone high compared to previous World Cups at this stage?”
Any answers?
53 min: Pedro Porro, playing like a winger, bursts into the space that was once Yamal’s, chasing Cubarsi’s pass and will have hoped to do rather better with the shot.
51 min: Rodri gets in touch, and is feeling pessimistic: “As many Uruguayans, I didn’t expect us going further than R32, (no way of us beating Argentina nowadays). But after Spain first game, I naively dreamed that if we could get a better goal difference and tie the last game, when Spain might be saving legs, we could top the group. And then, with a lot of luck, we could even go far... As they say, dreaming is free. They also say it’s the hope that kills you, but it was nice while it lasted. Now, back to reality and Sunday house cleaning (not a metaphor about the Uruguayan squad, but the actual chores).”
50 min: Cucurella accepted the applause but that’s yet another OG at the World Cup.
Goal! Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia (Al-Tambakti, 49 OG)
The corner drifts to the back post, and Cucurella smashes a volley, off Al Owais and Tambakti deflects in, unable to stop it rolling in.
Updated
48 min: Has Pedri taken a knock? He soldiers on having ridden a strong tackle that concedes a corner.
47 min: No hat-trick for Oyarzabal, then, and Yamal has had his runout, and scored his first World Cup goal, too.
Back underway in Atlanta
46 min: Two Spain subs: Oyarzabal and Lamine Yamal off, and Yeremy Pino, Ferran Torres on. For the Saudis, Al Juwayr off, as is Abdullah Al-Khaibari, and on comes Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Mohamed Kanno.
That first half belonged to Mikel Oyarzabal, though Alex Baena has impressed. Victor Munoz, the new Liverpool buy, is missing with an injury.
Updated
Andre Street gets in touch: “That ball, I read someplace it was popping. But is it inflated with helium?” Lot of shots flying high, that’s for sure.
Half-time: Spain 3-0 Saudi Arabia
In truth, Spain have left some goals behind despite their commanding lead. Yamal has his first goal and Mikel Oyarzabal has got two. The Saudis have been chasing shadows and must be grateful there’s air con.
Updated
45+3 min: A Saudi counter, and it’s Yamal who chases down Al Harbi, who made another of those long runs from deep. Then Rodri has to hoof clear.
45+2 min: Rodri gets time to turn and pass. The Saudis are getting tired, and that’s a bad sign. They are gasping for another break.
45-1 min: Gene Solario gets in touch: “Spain fan says thank you for no Gavi. He’s feisty and very annoying to play against but he’s also horrible to watch.”
Well, I like him.
45 min: The corner is a disaster, a terrible waste taken short and then into the path of Yamal whose touch lets him down. Five minutes added on, by the way.
44 min: Baena runs back to clear danger as the Saudis mount a rare attack. He celebrates like a lock forward who has won a rugby penalty. Next, Cubarsi has to conced a corner.
42 min: Rodri is strolling his way back to fitness. Nice workout for him. Yamal seems a tad rusty, too, after those early flashes. Oyarzabal is full of beans, and smashes the ball off left when kicking with his right, after Pedri’s pass.
40 min: Good replay of a Lajami tackle that Dani Olmo rode. The Saudis can mix it, byt are wanting when it comes to the technical stuff.
Updated
39 min: Krishna gets in touch: “Is the hegemony of 7-1 scoreline by Germany at threat or am I too liberal in assuming that the hosts of 2034 will score one?”
38 min: So far in the second quarter (I know, I know but blame Fifa), the Saudis have held on. Though the pressure is being pushed back up, and it’s taking every cell of concentration to keep the score down.
37 min: Lamine Yamal has been among the quieter Spanish players in recent moments but reappears by firing wide.
36 min: Oyarzabal almost has his hat-trick, turning and spinning to hit the bar. It will surely come.
35 min: Simon has a save to make, as Al Amri decides to shoot from 70 yards out. It drifts to the keeper’s arms.
34 min: Al Harbi has had a good game as an attacking player, if he has suffered at the feet of Yamal. A good run there, before Cubarsi coolly brings the excitement to a close.
32 min: A Saudi attack sees the ball going backwards, as Spain press hard. To be fair, the ball is retained though with little attendant danger. Laporte eventually gets it, and it’s back with Simon, who could have taken the day off and nobody would have noticed.
31 min: Pedri’s radar is failing him so far. Though you can’t keep a good player down. No Gavi today, one of those players whose physique belies their aggression.
Updated
30 min: Dani Olmo shows off twinkling toes, and the ball is cleared. Pedro Porro gets on the wrong end of a tackle by Salem Al Dawsar. It seems harsh. Porro’s agony doesn’t seem too prolonged, and the resumption is quick.
28 min: We’re back on. The Saudis will have savoured their Powerade. The punishment will resume.
26 min: Ezra Finkelstein gets in touch: “What a change of efficiency for Spain from the opening round. Yamal sure does make a difference.”
Peter Oh: “How about a hydration final whistle?”
25 min: Talk about answering your critics. Oyarzabal is on a hat-trick as drinks are taken in the ad break…
Goal! Spain 3-0 Saudi Arabia (Oyarzabal, 24)
Cucurella and Olmo keep the ball in the air, and at the back post, the striker gets his second. The game is done by the hydration break.
Updated
22 min: It was Laporte, stepping forward with little defending to do, who kept the ball alive for the striker to score. Saudi defending? The less said the better. Punch drunk already.
Goal! Spain 2-0 Saudi Arabia (Oyarzabal, 21)
Lajami makes a fine recovery tackle on Oyarzabal but the Saudi defending is far less good as the striker, from the corner, picks up the pieces of Dani Olmo’s shot, and pokes home.
Updated
20 min: Justin Kavanagh gets in touch: “AAAAGGGH! I made the mistake of flicking on the match on Fox, who have by now practically deified Lamine Yamal as one of the all-time greats. He done a goal, lads, he’s not yet Maradona or Messi. Right, back to Telemundo, where at least they have fun with the over exaggeration and don’t take their own hype so seriously.”
19 min: Cubarsi begins a sweeping move, and Oyarzabal’s run is intelligent, though his ball back across goals finds no takers. Yamal shows off his work ethic by chasing down Al Harbi to the goal line as if admitting he should have been on the end of the previous move.
17 min: Yamal bobs and weaves and aims his pass for Olmo. Al Owais saves well though is less comfortable with Oyarzabal shoots from distance. A busy afternoon so far for the Saudi keeper.
16 min: Saudi players take their time over a free-kick. They need to catch their breath. Spain have been relentless from the first whistle.
15 min: Spain can kill this off with better shooting. Baena is the latest to be wildly off-target.
13 min: It should have been two, Yamal shoots, and Pedri calls for the ball as the rebound comes out, and blams it miles over. Oyarzabal with more no-touch genius; he steps aside for the midfielder.
12 min: Not a bad first touch for Oyarzabal, and Yamal didn’t have to do anything spectacular. The celebrations were more complicated. In the celebs box, Gianni Infantino smiles.
Goal! Spain 1-0 Saudi Arabia (Lamine Yamal, 11)
The boy comes to the party. It’s route-one stuff, but lovely play for Oyarzabal, and at the opposite post, Yamal slides in to score.
Updated
10 min: Cucurella is essentially playing as a winger, and so is Pedro Porro, who smashes another shot off-target. Birthday boy De La Fuente does a jig of agony.
8 min: Spain take a corner, and Dani Olmo is asked to volley a Yamal chip. He blams it into deepest Atlanta. Spain yet to get a clean hit on the ball.
7 min: It’s all Spain, as would be expected. Pedri sets forward, and Dani Olmo gets robbed. Saudi go on the attack, with Al Harbi on the bust. Good run, actually, and Spain’s defenders have to hurry the ball clear.
5 min: Charles Antaki gets in touch: “Yes, Mikel Oyarzabal - lovely player. Hopefully a few more touches in the first 30 minutes here. Curiously, there’s something about him that reminds me of Steve Bruce: not the ability to ghost into the box, score important goals, or generally play football at an elite level, nothing like that. Something about the face? The nose looking little broken? Something there, if not quite separated at birth.”
So far, our hero is yet to get a touch, I think.
4 min: Baena comes in on the overload and Al Owais, the Saudi keeper, is grateful to claim. Next, Yamal sees glory, cutting in beyond Al Harbi. The shot is off-target.
3 min: It’s taken short, then Yamal delivers it in. The Saudis seem – so far – to be strong in the air.
2 min: Baena wins a corner for Spain. Yamal will take it, to cheers.
All go in Atlanta!
1 min: On Luis De La Fuente’s 65th birthday, what can Spain find. Yamal is on the ball soon enough, dragging Saudi defenders all over the show. And the crowd went wild. The ball is cleared by Al Amri.
Michael Jones has some memory on him: “Hoping you can help myself and some friends to fact check what has become almost a mythical World Cup moment for us that we still talk about to this day.
“In the 2006 World Cup while we were at University in Cardiff, the Spain v Saudi Arabia game was played the same time as another last day match, so BBC relegated it to another channel. So far so normal, however (and this is where things get less believable) we are convinced that it was screened on UKTV/UK Gold and even weirder that the panel featured Brian Blessed and Jason McAteer!
“We have never seen any replays, clips or even TV listings to prove this fever dream actually happened. This is a plea on the 20th Anniversary to you and the beloved Guardian readers to help us fact check this and put our ever-declining memories to rest.”
UKGTV2, as it was called, did show the tournament. A close friend worked on the production.
Nick Rommel gets in touch: “The idea that Lalas may be a clown, but he’s our clown, has become much less endearing over the last few years as the man has turned out to be a full-throated MAGA supporter. Maurice Edu, on the other hand, has done a fantastic job commentating alongside Tyler Terens, is nearly as tactically insightful as Thierry Henry, and I hope he takes on a bigger role in Fox’s soccer coverage in the future. Yes Edu still has that brash American-ness that is an awkward but entertaining counterweight to European ex-stars and broadcasters. Lalas out, Edu in.”
A pal message to say Lalas has just called Yamal a “fee-nom”.
Mary Waltz gets in touch: “Thank you for the brilliant Lalas v Henry article. I root for the USMNT hard as anyone. But Fox and Lalas’s treatment of this inclusive world wide football/ soccer celebration as a provincial USA invitational makes me vomit, ashamed. He barely recognizes we are co hosts with Mexico and Canada.”
Spain’s anthem first, followed by Saudi Arabia’s. Lamine Yamal plays it cool as the camera focuses on him. The Saudi anthem suggests there’s a few fans in the stadium, and a few come in shot.
The teams – squads, in fact – leave the tunnel to take to the air-conditioned field in Atlanta. Spain don’t wish to come second in this group, as Argentina may loom in “the 32”.
In the opening half an hour against Cape Verde, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch.
Kyle Green gets in touch: “Your highlighting of Lalas and his absurdity is something that has prevented me from wanting to watch the coverage on Fox. While every channel has its pros and cons I just can’t.
“I’m 45 and probably the youngest of anyone who remembers him as a player instead of an opinionated insert insult here. As for the match this could be more competitive than it looks on paper Spain need a win the pressure is on them. Saudi Arabia could hold out for a draw and see what happens in their last match. “
News from the England camp, and it seems to be good news on Declan Rice.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70-minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
Alex Reid has penned today’s weekend special Football Daily.
Portugal v Uzbekistan on Tuesday enticingly pits the incredibly nice, incredibly 41-year-old-superstar-tolerant Roberto Martínez against Fabio Cannavaro, who’s won a Ballon d’Or as a player and the Chinese Super League as a coach. While the fixture following that game really does see the dream of Thomas Tuchel – in his first international job with England – taking on Queiroz, who is in charge of his ninth national side with Ghana.
The expected formations are 4-2-3-1 for Spain, and 5-3-2 for the Saudi Arabians.
The Saudi team features two Donis changes: Ali Lajami, a defender, and Nasser Al Dawsari, a midfielder, are preferred to Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Mohamed Kanno. You may recall Salem Al Dawsari, the Saudi captain, as the man who scored the winner against Argentina.
An entertaining read, even for those of us who have just seen the clips.
In a conversation where his co-panelist is casually reminiscing about his days playing alongside Messi or exchanging shirts with Ronaldo Nazário at the World Cup, what exactly is Lalas going to talk about – coming on as a second-half substitute for Earnie Stewart in a friendly against Scotland in 1998? Helping the Kansas City Wizards finish last in the 1999 MLS Western Conference? Did Lalas enjoy an elite playing career? No. But does he do the background reading that could compensate for his relative lack of standing in a conversation with titans like Henry and Zlatan? Also no. But is he charming or funny or charismatic or otherwise magnetic on screen? Eh, no.
For the record, I once interviewed Alexi Lalas on the challenge of playing against Romario in the 1994 World Cup. He had this to say:
“He could kill you in so many different ways. If you remember from that World Cup, he scored so many types of goals. That ranged from solo adventures to an outside-of-the-right-foot half-volley off a corner kick. Romario was both the most difficult to play against and the best that I have faced.
“Roberto Baggio was doing his thing, but in terms of consistency and living up to the hype, he [Romario] was the best. As with all stars, there was a moment when the fans sit up in their seats, and that was a feeling I got with Romario. When it got close to him and the potential for his involvement in a play was there, everybody sat up in their seat. They knew that something spectacular would be happening.”
Saturday’s match reports here.
The Saudi Arabia coach, and Blackburn legend, Georgios Donis, spoke about the challenges facing his team: “Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench.
“While they still have plenty of possession, they lack the individual one-on-one penetration when these two are missing. I’m not saying it’s a problem for Spain, but when those players are missing, they play in a different way. We saw this very clearly against Cape Verde.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and it’s very important that when you play against these kinds of teams, you should enjoy the experience and respect the opponent, but not too much.
“It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession. So what we must do is to be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.
“It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. Of course, it’s great for Saudi football to have a great memory of the result against Argentina, but we aren’t drawing anything from that.
“I think we’ll feel more pressure in that [Cape Verde] game than we will against Spain.”
The Spain coach, Luis De La Fuente had this to say in his Saturday press conference: “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up... It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Four changes for Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also come into the side with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi dropping out.
The teams - Lamine Yamal starts
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Saudi Arabia: Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, Salem Al Dawsari. Subs: Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, Abu Al Shamat.
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Perhaps one of the Saudi -players can write themselves into this high-grade selection?
Perhaps it can be their goalkeeper.
Updated
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Updated
Can Saudi Arabia repeat the magic of 2022?
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.
Unai Simon over David Raya is a controversial choice for De la Fuentes. The Arsenal keeper could lay claim to being Europe’s best this season.
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,” Raya says. “I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
A high pressure game for the European champions, as Sid Lowe reports.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
We wait to see what role Lamine Yamal will play today. His coach would surely like to be able to use him.
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.
Preamble
Spain’s campaign did not get off to a flying start, and Luis de la Fuentes may wake up in the night to visions of Cape Verde’s Vozinha. He will have Georgia on his mind ever since Monday. Saudi Arabia are no pushovers and gave Uruguay a scare in their opening match. Memories of downing Argentina four years ago still abound, and so Spain might beware. They can ill afford to go into the final game with Uruguay at a disadvantage. All eyes on Lamine Yamal, whose fitness situation remains opaque, though Spain need their other forwards to come to the party.
Kick-off 5pm UK, 1pm ET, 2am AEST. Join me.
