Lamine Yamal said that he was "thrilled" to play a key role in Spain's 3-0 success over Croatia, with La Roja making an impressive start to their Euro 2024 campaign.
The Barcelona attacker made history on Saturday, becoming the youngest-ever player to take to the field at a European Championship at the age of 16 years and 338 days old.
Yamal was selected to start the Group B fixture, and he played 86 minutes, eventually being replaced by club teammate Ferran Torres in the latter stages.
The forward also became the youngest-ever player to provide an assist at a European Championship when he set up Dani Carvajal to score Spain's third of the match.
Alvaro Morata and Fabian Ruiz were also on the scoresheet for Luis de la Fuente's side, who proved to be too strong for a Croatia outfit that had a goal disallowed in the second period.
© Reuters
Yamal makes history in Euro 2024 fixture
"I'm thrilled with the win, for my EURO debut and we are all already thinking about the next match. I'm there for the coach and for the team whether I play wide, inside, whether I'm attacking, creating or defending," UEFA's official website quotes Yamal as saying after the match.
"Whatever is needed. We are an efficient, hard-working team and you've seen months of hard work come to fruition today."
Yamal also addressed his assist for Carvajal, with the teenager delivering an excellent cross into the Real Madrid defender, who made no mistake from close range.
"The boss reckons that Nico (Williams) and I are good in the one-on-one situations and so he wants us each to go to the corner kicks when we win one. When I saw Dani making a move to the front post I put it there and he finished brilliantly.
16 - At 16 years and 338 days, Spain's Lamine Yamal is the youngest player to ever appear in a game at the UEFA European Championship finals. Sweet. pic.twitter.com/gmhgObMZ0O
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 15, 2024
Spain will take on Italy in their second match in Group B
"We are a family, we are very confident and the way Dani celebrated his goal with me shows that. Starting with a win like this, against a rival like this, is very important for the team. But we're turning our minds to the next match already."
Spain have taken an early lead in Group B, and they will be bidding to make it successive wins in the section when they take on Italy on June 20.
La Roja will then finish their group-stage campaign against Albania four days later, with definitely two but potentially three teams progressing from what is a difficult section.
Yamal entered Euro 2024 off the back of scoring seven goals and registering 11 assists in 50 appearances for Barcelona during the 2023-24 campaign.
Matt Law
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