PARIS (AFP) – Lamine Yamal brightened the gloom that has descended over Spanish football by becoming the country’s youngest ever player and goalscorer as La Roja thrashed Georgia 7-1 on Friday to get their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign back on track.
On a night of goals, Scotland beat Cyprus 3-0 and Croatia put five past Latvia while Portugal were made to work a bit harder, Bruno Fernandes on target in the 1-0 win in Slovakia.
The build up to Spain’s match was tarnished by the ongoing saga of federation president Luis Rubiales and his kiss on the lips of women’s midfielder Jenni Hermoso in the aftermath of their World Cup triumph over England in Sydney last month.
Spanish public prosecutors announced on Friday they had filed a lawsuit against Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion.
Spain’s mood in the Euro qualifiers was also not helped by a defeat by Scotland in their second game had left them fourth in Group A.
But they climbed up to second with a big win in Tbilisi, inspired by an Alvaro Morata hat-trick – although the Atletico Madrid forward’s treble takes second place to Yamal’s superb first appearance for his country at 16 years and 57 days old.
The Barcelona teenager came on from the bench with Nico Williams after 43 minutes to replace Marco Asensio and Dani Olmo, who had both suffered knocks, with Spain 4-0 up and cruising.
Yamal finished lethally in the 74th minute to send Spain 7-1 up after Williams found him with a cut-back.
“I’m happy obviously, for my debut and my goal,” Yamal told Spanish broadcaster Teledeporte.
“It’s a dream, I’m living in a dream right now.”
Morata’s opener in the 22nd minute was followed by Solomon Kvirkvelia’s own goal.
Olmo drilled the third past Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 38th minute and Morata added the fourth after a slick exchange with Ruiz.
Spain were forced to change both their wingers before half-time and Yamal gratefully grabbed the chance to make history.
Watford’s Giorgi Chakvetadze pulled one back for Georgia before Morata completed his hat trick, Williams and Yamal completing the rout.
