Seville watched Spain turn the opening moments against Croatia into a statement of control, with Lamine Yamal finishing a 70-second move in which the visitors did not touch the ball.
Spain’s 4-1 Nations League win on Tuesday put Luis de la Fuente’s side alone at the top of Group A3 after two rounds. The first goal was built from 25 consecutive Spanish passes, involving every outfield player before Yamal applied the finish.
At a glance
- Spain defeated Croatia 4-1 in Seville in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League.
- Yamal opened the scoring after 70 seconds and 25 Spain passes without a Croatian touch.
- Yamal scored twice and created Pubill’s headed goal; Nico Williams added a stoppage-time fourth.
- Croatia’s goal came from Beljo.
- Spain lead Group A3 with two wins from two and seven goals, the highest total in League A.
The opening sequence began deep in Spain’s defensive line, moved from one flank to the other and travelled through midfield before returning to the back line. Spain then advanced patiently until Fabián Ruiz played the more incisive pass that accelerated the attack.
The move crossed the face of Croatia’s penalty area before Yamal steered a precise finish beyond the goalkeeper. Croatia had still not interrupted the passage of play by the time the ball crossed the line.
Yamal struck again later in the match and supplied the delivery for Pubill to score with a header. Nico Williams completed the home side’s scoring in added time, while Beljo provided Croatia’s reply.
The numbers reflected Spain’s authority in Andalusia. They had 61% of possession, completed 580 passes and produced 16 attempts, seven of them on target. Croatia managed five shots, with two on target, and completed 298 passes.
Record run continues
Spain’s next Group A3 fixture is at home to Serbia on Saturday. Their two victories have also made them League A’s leading scorers, with seven goals across the opening pair of matchdays.
The Croatia result extended Spain’s unbeaten run in official internationals to 40 matches. They have not lost for more than two years, their last defeat coming in March 2024, when Colombia won 1-0.
Since that loss, De la Fuente’s team have recorded 31 wins and nine draws, scoring 102 goals and conceding 31. The run has included triumphs at the most recent European Championship and the 2026 World Cup.
