The Spanish star has scored just one goal at the World Cup and is sharing his celebrations with his younger brother.
Published July 11, 2026
Although he did not score in Spain’s quarter-final victory over Belgium, Lamine Yamal was named player of the match for his contribution and capped off the victory by sharing an emotional moment with his brother at the post-match celebration in Los Angeles.
Yamal, who has not scored since Spain’s group-stage win over Saudi Arabia on June 21, said after Friday’s match that no one would care about his low goal tally if Spain won the World Cup.
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In a competition that features stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, 18-year-old Yamal has scored just one goal so far, a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in their regular group game. He once again failed to find the back of the net as Spain advanced to the World Cup semi-finals for the second time.
“Of course I want to score goals, but I don’t go on the pitch thinking about that. I do it thinking about helping the team,” Yamal said.
“If we win the World Cup, no one will remember whether I scored a goal or not… The important thing is to win,” the Barcelona star said after victory in Los Angeles sealed a semi-final match against France.
“I know that even if I don’t score, I can contribute. I know that my movements will attract a lot of opponents, so I’m trying my best to help the team,” he said.
Although he didn’t score, Yamal put in a solid performance in La Roja, breaking records along the way.
On Friday, he played in his sixth FIFA World Cup, the most ever for a player under the age of 18 in the tournament.
breakout star
Two years ago, Yamal, then 16, was the breakout star of the Spanish team that won the European Championship in Germany.
During that victorious season, he scored just one goal, a stunning goal in a 2-1 win against France in the semi-finals.
“I think we should score more goals like we did at the Euros, but at the Euros we won by scoring just one goal.And we scored one goal here too, so I’m relaxed,” he said with a smile.
But Spain will be hoping Yamal, who turns 19 on the eve of the semi-final, can score more goals against France, who are favorites to win the top scorer tournament.
“There are two possibilities: either they reach the World Cup final for the third time in a row or we beat them for the third time in a row. We’ll see what happens,” Yamal said.
“We are not afraid at all.”
Yamal shares a sweet moment with his brother Kane
Amid Spain’s post-match celebrations, Yamal and his half-brother Kane captured a sweet moment when their younger brother appeared on screen.
As the camera panned over him, the 3-year-old screamed and stuck his tongue out. Kane then blew his brother a kiss, making the Spanish teen star laugh and wave.
Kane often accompanies Yamal to award ceremonies and other public events and is a crowd favorite at the World Cup.
He was repeatedly caught on camera, earning laughs from his brother and cheers from the crowd around him.
