Yamal

EXPLAINER

Coming on the back of a 10-match winning streak, Spain face Croatia with sights on the Nations League quarterfinals.

Who: Croatia vs Spain
What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A3 match
Where: Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia
When: Tuesday, October 6, at 8:45pm local time (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.

FIFA World Cup holders Spain can confirm their ticket to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals when they face Croatia on their trip to Split.

With a perfect record in the tournament and an overall 41-match unbeaten streak, the odds swing heavily in Spain’s favour to clinch victory.

La Roja’s attack has been on fire this term – they have netted 10 goals from seven scorers in three games, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal leading the scoring charts.

Unlike Spain, Croatia’s performance has been far from exemplary, with Luka Modric’s side suffering their heaviest defeat in history in the last fixture.

Before the clash of generations 2.0 between Yamal and Modric, Al Jazeera breaks down everything you need to know:

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally ranked teams.

In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure, which features promotion and relegation.

How does the UEFA Nations League work?

The teams compete across four divisions, facing every other team in their group twice: Once at home and once away. The league phase ends in November.

In the top league, League A, the top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, which take place in March 2027.

The finals will again be contested between four teams. The host and dates of the finals have not been confirmed yet.

How have Croatia and Spain played in the Nations League?

Croatia are third in this group with three points from three games.

• Czechia 1-2 Croatia
• Spain 4-1 Croatia
• Croatia 0-7 England

Spain are first in the group with nine points.

• England 2-3 Spain
• Spain 4-1 Croatia
• Spain 3-1 Czechia

Croatia vs Spain: Head-to-head

• Matches: 12
• Croatia wins: 3
• Spain wins: 7
• Draws: 2

Croatia vs Spain: Form guide

(Last five matches; latest match first)

Croatia: L-L-W-L-W

Spain: W-W-W-W-W

Who are the top players to watch?

Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic (Croatia): The evergreen Modric, very much the heartbeat of the Croatian midfield even at 41 years old, has found the net once in this campaign. His fellow experienced teammate, Perisic, has also been impactful with his two assists.

Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena (Spain): With four goals in three games, Yamal is the joint leading scorer in this year’s Nations League, alongside three others, including England’s Harry Kane. The Barcelona star has found the net in each game, including a double against Croatia in the initial face-off in Seville. Atletico Madrid’s Baena, on the other hand, has been influential in more ways than one, bagging two assists and a goal.

Team news and predicted lineups

Croatia

Centre-back Martin Erlic is sidelined with injury until mid-October, while Josip Juranovic is unavailable due to illness.

Probable Croatia XI: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Luka Vuskovic, Josko Gvardiol, Ivan Perisic; Luka Modric; Franjo Ivanovic, Petar Sucic, Mateo Kovacic, Martin Baturina; Petar Musa

Spain

As many as four Spain squad players are doubtful due to injuries: Ferran Torres (physical discomfort), Alejandro Grimaldo (thigh), Joan Garcia (knee) and Nico Williams (thigh).

Probable Spain XI: David Raya; Ivan Fresneda, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Fran Garcia; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Roberto Fernandez

Croatia vs Spain: TV channel, livestreaming

• Croatia: gol
• Spain: RTVE PLAY
• United Kingdom: Prime Video UK
• United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
• India: Sony Sports Network
• Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
• South Africa: DStv Stream

You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official list.

Lamine Yamal has carried on his superb goal-scoring form, helping Spain secure a 3-1 win over Czechia in the UEFA Nations League and consolidating his bid to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award later this month.

The world champions moved three points clear of England at the top of Group A3 after Thomas Tuchel’s side demolished Croatia 7-0 earlier in Rijeka on Saturday.

Spain cruised into a two-goal lead with Yamal and captain Rodri Hernandez on target, but Jiri Slama gave the Czechs a chance by pulling one back with 20 minutes to go.

However, Mikel Merino wrapped up Spain’s win late on after Ladislav Krejci was sent off for the Czechs, as Spain racked up a 41st consecutive unbeaten game, including the World Cup final win over Argentina in July.

Yamal, who scored in the second minute of Spain’s first two games against England and Croatia, waited as long as the sixth minute before breaking the deadlock. He is the first player to score a goal within the first 10 minutes of three consecutive men’s international matches.

“They are well-drilled; I thought it would be one of the hardest games, and that’s how it was,” Rodri told a Spanish broadcaster after Spain claimed a third win from three group games.

“It was tricky but we got some chances. There are some matches in which you can’t generate that much, but the team was able to manage the match.”

The former Manchester City midfielder scored for the first time for Spain in more than two years.

“It’s always special to score for the national team. I’d not been scoring many goals; let’s see if I’ve found that dynamic – it’s important, we all have to chip in with the goals,” he added.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made several changes in Oviedo from Tuesday’s win over Croatia, including handing debuts to full-back Ivan Fresneda and striker Roberto Fernandez.

It was one of Spain’s star names, though, who lit up the game early on, something he is beginning to make a habit of.

The 19-year-old winger, a leading candidate for the Ballon d’Or, produced an exquisite finish from the right of the box, curling into the top corner after taking a touch to earn himself room to shoot.

“We’re doing well; I’m very happy. I was eager to return to the national team after the World Cup, and there’s no better way than this,” said Yamal.

Spain coach De la Fuente put his hands to his head in apparent shock at the quality of Yamal’s superb strike, his 12th in his last nine games for club and country.

“I think he never stops surprising us – I think all of us. He has so much talent, so much quality, that we still haven’t seen the best version of Lamine by a long shot,” said De la Fuente.

“He has a lot more to offer because he’s so classy, so talented, with so much potential.”

The winger’s Barcelona teammate, Rodri, doubled Spain’s lead after 35 minutes, arriving in the box to drill into the top corner after the ball fell nicely for him.

De la Fuente took off Yamal at half-time to give the young Barcelona star a break before Tuesday’s visit to face Croatia, and the pace of the game slowed.

The Czechs pulled one back through Slama, who produced an excellent low finish across David Raya after Adam Hlozek played him in.

Arsenal stopper Raya was fortunate a few minutes later when he conceded possession with a misplaced pass while out of his goal, but the visitors could not capitalise.

Raya also spilled the ball badly and Ryan Naderi turned home, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Robin Le Normand.

Czechia’s determined efforts to battle back were derailed by Krejci’s red card, with the defender shown a second yellow for pulling back Fernandez, before Merino rounded off Spain’s win.

Lamine Yamal scores twice and assists another as Spain beat Croatia 4-1 in UEFA Nations League Group A3.

Lamine Yamal scored twice as World Cup winners Spain extended their European record unbeaten run to 40 matches.

La Roja maintained their perfect start to UEFA Nations League Group A3 with a 4-1 home win over Croatia on Tuesday, while England overcame 10-man Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague to leapfrog Slaven Bilic’s side into second.

In a repeat of the 2023 Nations League final, which Spain won on penalties, Croatia recovered from conceding an early goal to equalise but were unable to resist a Spanish side fresh from a 3-2 win over England at Wembley on Saturday.

Spain’s first home game since lifting the World Cup in July was preceded by Rodri parading the trophy on the pitch. The celebrations continued in Seville when Lamine, just as he did against England, opened the scoring in the second minute.

Alex Baena’s ball into the area was dummied by Fermin Lopez, and Lamine curled a first-time low shot inside the far post.

Baena then had an effort parried away by Croatia keeper Dominik Livakovic as Spain looked set to put the game out of reach early on, but the visitors drew level through Dion Beljo’s 28th-minute header.

Spain took less than three minutes to retake the lead. Lamine whipped a cross into the six-yard box from the right wing and Marc Pubill powered a header beyond Livakovic.

Lamine scored his second and Spain’s third in the 63rd minute, collecting Pedri’s pass in the box before drilling his shot into the net from a tight angle. Substitute Nico Williams wrapped up the win with an 89th-minute goal.

Lamine Yamal goal opens the scoring, but Spain made to comeback in Nations League win as Harry Kane misses penalty.

World champions Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 in an entertaining Nations League encounter at Wembley on Saturday, denying the hosts a cathartic win after their painful World Cup exit.

Victory for Luis de la Fuente’s men extends Spain’s astonishing unbeaten run to 39 matches – a record for a European team.

Thomas Tuchel’s men got off to a nightmare start when Lamine Yamal pounced on a gaffe by defender Marc Guehi, and they could easily have been three goals down as silky Spain created multiple chances.

But England, criticised for their ultra-defensive tactics in their World Cup semifinal defeat to Argentina, showed adventure of their own and got their reward in the 36th minute when Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon finished a fine team move.

Four minutes later, the home side were ahead after Kane headed home Nico O’Reilly’s cross via a Marc Cucurella deflection.

Kane had a golden chance to give England a two-goal cushion from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half but slipped slightly, crashing his shot against the bar.

Spain, who beat England in the Euro 2024 final, took full advantage, with substitutes Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal putting their side ahead, taking advantage of more sloppy defensive play from the home side.

England boss Thomas Tuchel was adamant ahead of the match that it did not signal a new start, but he will have been dismayed by his team’s nervy start.

Manchester City’s Guehi, with a chance to clear in the second minute, inexplicably turned back towards goalkeeper James Trafford, apparently unaware that Yamal was just behind him.

The teenager collected the ball and curled a left-footed effort off the inside of the post.

Ferran Torres was in the thick of the action, with an effort ruled out for offside and another shot saved by Trafford, in for longtime number one Jordan Pickford.

He also squandered a golden opportunity with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Yamal then set up Dani Olmo, who flashed wide as Spain rued yet another miss.

England, who had shown plenty of promise down the wings, made the visitors pay with an incisive counter-attacking goal after winning the ball back deep in their own half.

Gordon was involved early in the move and surged forward, collecting Jude Bellingham’s pass to steer the ball decisively past goalkeeper Unai Simon.

And, with the atmosphere now totally changed, England were in front when Kane rose to head home.

Tuchel’s men started the second half brightly and had a chance to extend their lead from the spot when they were awarded a penalty for a Rodri foul on Bellingham following a VAR check.

But Kane crashed his shot against the bar, and England paid the price when Baena steered home on the hour mark after O’Reilly had given the ball away to Olmo.

Worse was to come for the home side when Baena turned provider for Oyarzabal, who dinked the ball over Trafford.

Spain’s Lamine Yamal says most racism he has suffered has come from people unaware of their own comments or behaviour.

Barcelona forward ‌Lamine Yamal said he has experienced racism “a thousand ⁠times”, with ⁠many people unaware that their comments or behaviour are racist.

The 19-year-old has been the target of ⁠racial abuse during his rapid rise to prominence.

In October 2024, footage appeared to show Lamine, Raphinha and Ansu ⁠Fati being racially abused during Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia said in a bulletin published in March that Lamine and ‌Vinicius Jr were the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain in the final quarter of 2025.

Asked by former Argentina international Jorge Valdano in an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar whether he had directly experienced racism, Lamine said: “A thousand times.

“People are indirectly ⁠racist toward you, but maybe don’t ⁠realise it. There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist, and they don’t even notice.

“If someone calls me Black, it’s ⁠not going to bother me at all, ultimately I’m Black, I’m not any other ⁠colour. Another thing is whether it’s ⁠good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me.

“But if I’m playing a match and they paid for a ticket to see ‌me, I’m not going to get angry just because they disrespected me.”

La Liga has stepped up efforts to combat racist ‌abuse ‌in stadiums following several high-profile incidents in Spanish football in recent years.