Yamal's goal against Saudi Arabia has allowed him to surpass Lionel Messi's World Cup record.

Lamine Yamal once again demonstrated his quality as one of the finest young talents in World Football. This young star for the Spain National Team has written new history at the 2026 World Cup, after securing a place on the list of the 10 youngest goalscorers in the tournament's all-time history.

This historic milestone occurred when Spain faced Saudi Arabia in the 2026 World Cup Group H fixture at Atlanta Stadium, United States of America. In the match which La Roja won with a dominant 4-0 scoreline, Yamal scored the opening goal for his side.

The 18-year-old found the back of the net in the 11th minute. Received a low driven cross from Mikel Oyarzabal, Yamal reacted sharply to meet the ball right in front of goal and converted it cleanly for Spain's opener.

While the goal came from a straightforward finish, it carries immense significance for the youngster's career. According to official FIFA records, Yamal now ranks as the 7th youngest goalscorer in World Cup history, having scored at exactly 18 years and 343 days old.

This achievement sees the Barcelona winger overtake a number of legendary names in World Football. Most notably, he has surpassed Lionel Messi, who scored his first World Cup goal for Argentina at 18 years and 357 days old.

The record for youngest ever World Cup goalscorer remains held by Brazilian icon Pelé. The Football Legend scored his historic tournament goal at 17 years and 239 days old, a record that still stands unbroken today.

Yamal's place on this elite list further cements his growing importance within the Spain national squad. Prior to this match, he had only appeared as a substitute during La Roja's opening game against Cape Verde while he completed recovery from a thigh injury.

However, the coach's decision to hand him a starting place against Saudi Arabia was immediately rewarded with an outstanding performance. Yamal operated as one of Spain's primary attacking threats, and played a key role in dismantling the opposition defence from the very first minutes of the match.

Below is the full list of the 10 youngest goalscorers in World Cup history, compiled from official FIFA data:

1. Pelé (Brazil) – 17 years 239 days
2. Manuel Rosas (Mexico) – 18 years 93 days
3. Gavi (Spain) – 18 years 110 days
4. Michael Owen (England) – 18 years 190 days
5. Nicolae Kovács (Romania) – 18 years 197 days
6. Dmitri Sychev (Russia) – 18 years 231 days
7. Lamine Yamal (Spain) – 18 years 343 days
8. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 18 years 357 days
9. Julian Green (United States) – 19 years 25 days
10. Divock Origi (Belgium) – 19 years 65 days

This milestone serves as clear proof that Yamal continues to mature as one of the most promising young players on the planet. If he can maintain this consistent level of performance, there is every possibility he will set many more historic records for Spain in the coming years.