Spain beats Croatia in Nations League as Yamal shines

World champions Spain defeated Croatia 4-1 in Seville during their first home match since winning the World Cup in July, extending their unbeaten run to 40 games. Nineteen-year-old forward Lamine Yamal starred in the fixture by scoring twice and providing an assist, finding the net just 70 seconds into the contest with a left-footed shot. Croatia equalized in the 28th minute through a header by Dion Beljo following a cross from Ivan Perisic. Spain regained the lead three minutes later when Marc Pubill scored a header from a precise cross by Yamal. Yamal added his second goal before halftime by beating his Barcelona club-mate and Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at the near post. Athletic Bilbao player Nico Williams completed the scoring with a late goal in the second half. Spain now leads Group A3 with six points from two matches, sitting three points ahead of both Croatia and England. ## Context International football tournaments like the UEFA Nations League allow national teams to compete in competitive fixtures outside of major events such as the World Cup and European Championships. Success in these group stages helps teams build momentum and test young talent against top-tier opponents on the global stage.