How 18-year-old Lamine Yamal bossed Saudi Arabia to score his first World Cup goal

Lamine Yamal scored likely his first of many World Cup goals for Spain against Saudi Arabia on Sunday, bossing the game in just a 45-minute outing.

Yamal is statistically further ahead as an 18-year-old than Lionel Messi was at 20. He plays more games per year, scores more goals and creates more assists than the former Barcelona icon did in his youth.

Having already won the Euros and multiple La Liga titles, the World Cup was the next step for the world-beating teenager to conquer, and he hasn't disappointed.

The Spain winger played only 19 minutes in his side's tournament opener against Cape Verde, being eased back from injury, before exploding onto the stage in the second game, against Saudi Arabia.

Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, peeling off the back of the Saudi defence to latch onto a low cross from Mikel Oyarzabal for a tap-in. That goal made Yamal only the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opener in a World Cup game, following a 17-year-old Pele in 1958 - not bad company.

While he would only play another 30 minutes, taken off at half-time to add no unnecessary strain with the score already 3-0 by that point, Yamal had a huge influence on the game.

Yamal's stats v Saudi Arabia

Playing just 45 minutes, Yamal, perSofascore, was the third-best player on the pitch for the entire game, with an 8.2 rating.

The Spanish winger had five shots, with two going on target, creating space with quick control to then get his efforts off.

He made six crosses, 29 passes - misplacing just three - and one long ball, registering one key pass.

Both of the winger's dribbles were successful and he carried the ball 172 feet, making six progressive carries. He also won his only attempted tackle, all three of his ground duels, and made one clearance.

It was the sort of all-round performance that fans expect to see from Yamal, and that first World Cup goal is likely going to be followed by many more, as his volume of shots suggest he's going to score often.

If Spain are going to have the sort of World Cup they are expected to, Yamal will be the shining light, and though we've seen just glimpses so far, it looks as if it will be dangerous for any side who comes up against him once he's given free rein for the majority of a game.

Indeed, he gave the five-man Saudi defence a torrid time, with quick feet, close control and even strength, as he shoved a defender off in the box after putting him off balance with a quick turn.

He's only likely to turn the heat up when the opposition gets more difficult, as he looks to put down a marker as one of the very best players on the planet.