Spain winger Lamine Yamal on Sunday surpassed Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the list of youngest World Cup goalscorers.
Yamal started his account at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a goal against Saudi Arabia in their second Group H match, assisted by Mikel Oyarzabal.
Spain won the match 4-0, with Oyarzabal scoring twice against Saudi Arabia.
Yamal’s goal saw him set a unique milestone at the tournament.
Yamal became only the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opening goal in a FIFA World Cup match, with the only other player to do so being a 17 year old Pele for Brazil against Wales in 1958.
His goal also saw him move ahead of Messi in the list of the youngest goalscorers in World Cup history.
At 18 years and 323 days, Yamal is now the eighth youngest scorer in the tournament history, pushing Messi, who was 18 years and 357 days old when he scored his first World Cup goal, down to ninth.
Top 10 youngest World Cup goalscorers in history:
Pele – 17 years, 239 days
Manuel Rosas – 18 years, 93 days
Gavi – 18 years, 110 days
Ibrahim Mbaye – 18 years, 142 days
Michael Owen – 18 years, 190 days
Nicolae Kovacs – 18 years, 197 days
Dmitri Sychev – 18 years, 231 days
Lamine Yamal – 18 years, 343 days
Lionel Messi – 18 years, 357 days
Julian Green – 19 years, 25 days
