'I absolutely love him' - Lamine Yamal given 'crazy' praise by Wayne Rooney after helping Spain thrash Saudi Arabia at 2026 World Cup

After starting on the bench and playing just 19 minutes in a goalless draw against Cape Verde due to fitness concerns, Yamal was unleashed from the start on Sunday. The 18-year-old winger needed just 10 minutes to open the scoring in a comfortable 4-0 triumph over Saudi Arabia, marking his first ever World Cup goal and taking his international tally to seven goals in 27 appearances.

He was substituted at half-time with Spain already holding a 3-0 lead, which the player confirmed was a pre-agreed plan to manage his workload. Speaking as a pundit, Rooney could not hide his profound admiration for the talented forward, highlighting his incredible influence.

The former United and England striker was quick to express his sheer delight while analysing the exceptional performance, pointing out the unique maturity the winger possesses. "Do you know what I absolutely love him, he just makes me smile. The enjoyment and fun he plays with," Rooney told the BBC. "What he does for that Spain team, there’s a lot of young players in that Spain team and he give them that confidence. They won the Euros with him as a 16 year old, now he’s matured as a player, which seems crazy to say about an 18-year-old, but he gives every other player on that pitch for Spain a confidence and belief that they can go on and win this World Cup."

Rooney was not only impressed by the attacking brilliance of Yamal, but also his remarkable defensive work rate during the match. "When you’ve got that about you, to make other players feel better on the football pitch, it’s incredible to have that as an 18-year-old," he added. "Him running back and helping his team out. When you get a big player that’s willing to run back and willing to help out. The impact that has on the rest of the team, they’re looking at that and thinking, 'we’ve got a superstar running back and helping out defensively.' That means everyone else has to do it, whether they like it or not."

Following this vital victory, Spain have climbed to the top of Group H and will be aiming to maintain their impressive momentum. Yamal and his team-mates will now start preparing for a highly anticipated showdown against Uruguay on Saturday June 27, which could serve as a decisive shootout to secure the top spot in the group.