Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: Luis de la Fuente’s Lamine Yamal masterplan is ready for Uruguay

Spain moved to the top of Group H with a commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday, and in doing so answered the loudest question surrounding their World Cup campaign - just how fit is Lamine Yamal and how crucial will he be in this tournament?

Luis de la Fuente’s side were ruthless in the opening half, with Yamal breaking the deadlock inside ten minutes before Mikel Oyarzabal netted twice in the space of eight minutes to put La Roja firmly in command.

A Hassan Altambakti own goal after the break completed the rout, and Spain, who had been held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde in their opener, could not have asked for a more emphatic response.

Crucially, both Yamal and Oyarzabal were withdrawn at half-time with the game already won, still fresh, and with no extra strain placed on recovering bodies. De la Fuente had spoken before kick-off about managing his star winger’s minutes carefully following a torn hamstring in late April, and everything unfolded precisely as he would have hoped.

Here, Sports Mole assesses what Sunday’s performance means for Spain’s handling of Yamal ahead of their Group H decider against Uruguay.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: Lamine Yamal’s first-half masterclass

The plan was never a secret. Before kick-off in Atlanta, De la Fuente had telegraphed it as clearly as any manager can: Yamal would start, he would play into the second half only if circumstances demanded it, and it turned out, circumstances could not have been more obliging.

Within ten minutes, the Barcelona teenager had already justified his inclusion in the boldest possible terms, sliding in at the back post to convert Oyarzabal’s inviting cross and score his first-ever World Cup goal. In doing so, Yamal became the first player aged 18 or younger to start a match at both the European Championship and the World Cup.

He managed twenty minutes off the bench in the goalless draw with Cape Verde, enough to spark chances but not enough to settle Spain’s nerves. Against Saudi Arabia, handed his first start, he was electric in that opening half, active on the right flank, always demanding the ball, and eventually getting his reward in front of goal.

Yet for De la Fuente, the significance of the evening ran deeper than the goal itself. This was proof of concept - evidence that Yamal could start a World Cup game, influence it decisively, and just how important he is to the team going into the knockout stages.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: De la Fuente’s minutes management gamble is paying off

The 3-0 lead Spain held at half-time gave De la Fuente the precise gift he needed. With Oyarzabal having contributed a goal and an assist before adding a second himself - becoming only the second player to score twice within the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup game - the job was effectively done.

Both Yamal and Oyarzabal were withdrawn at the break, their managers having already seen enough.

It was a calculated act of conservation, not celebration. Yamal himself had said before the match that a full 90 minutes was “unnecessary” at this stage of his recovery, and De la Fuente echoed that measured outlook in his pre-match comments, noting that the winger’s exact minutes would depend on the game. The game, very helpfully, did not require any more of him.

Spain remain unbeaten in all 22 matches that Yamal has started for his country - 16 wins, six draws and the incentive to keep that record intact, and to keep the player intact, is obvious.

Hassan Altambakti's own goal that completed the scoring after half-time was a bonus, but it was the economy of the first half that will have pleased De la Fuente most.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: What Luis de la Fuente now has for the Uruguay clash

The implications for Spain’s Group H decider against Uruguay on June 27 in Guadalajara are significant. With qualification almost secured and top spot likely, De la Fuente faces the kind of problem managers dream of: Yamal will arrive at that fixture with valuable additional match sharpness under his belt, his minutes carefully rationed, and his hamstring further tested and trusted.

Uruguay represent a sterner and more tactically sophisticated challenge than Saudi Arabia, but Spain know a point from that final fixture will be enough to secure their passage to the Round of 32.

De la Fuente now has the evidence that starting Yamal is safe, that half of football is well within his gift, and that building him back to 70 or 80 minutes is a realistic target by the time the knockout rounds arrive.

If Oyarzabal’s fitness is handled with similar care, the Real Sociedad man is also being managed cautiously La Roja could yet arrive at the round of 32 with their two most dangerous finishers close to full fitness and brimming with confidence.