World Cup: Lamine Yamal Lights Up Spain

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1:06Discover the V-Series lineup at cadillac.com. The Football Daily Podcast at the People World Cup 2026 with Rick Edwards and Lloyd Griffith. Hello, welcome to the Football Daily. We are back after a day off, which we will bore you about in a minute. But first, the scores from overnight. Spain 4, Saudi Arabia 0. Belgium and Iran was goaliest. We were at that one. Uruguay and Cape Verde drew 2-all. Wow. And New Zealand lost 3-1 to Egypt. So, a little day off yesterday. And I think, you know, we're living together. We're having a lovely time. We're doing the pod. It was good to spend a day apart. We all went off and saw our own friends.

1:48We did. Did our thing. And then eventually all coalesced in a bar quite late when I inexplicably became a designated driver and just ferried everyone home. Well, you didn't have a key, but we had a key and you had a car. Well, if you drive us home, we can let you into the house. I mean, yeah, my plan was to just get the key, but then I got lured in. And you were just a raconteur. So when you turned up and you were telling your little stories. And I will do it. I will do it. Famous friends. And I think you mentioned T4 a couple of times. And we were all, honestly, we were just enthralled and just the names that you were mentioning it was fantastic it was fantastic yeah it was good what did I do thanks for asking well hang on have you finished we're getting to the football actually okay fine feels like the tournament's written no go on no no go on it's really boring no go on I went to see my friend who lives underneath the Hollywood sign in a house okay and had had breakfast if I'm willing just snip around it yeah no but it was a really lovely breakfast burrito by Venice Beach each.

2:52What was in the burrito?

2:56Breakfast. Breakfast was in the burrito. Beans? I don't tell you. Don't tell me. It's in a burrito, isn't it? I don't really ask any questions. You can't answer some questions. There's no questions. What's in it? Why are you being weird about this? I'm not being weird about it. What was in it? I don't know what was in it, Rick. What was in it? I've got no idea. I saw the phrase breakfast burrito. Egg? Well, I'm assuming, yeah. Bacon? Probably. Were you fried beans? There was definitely cheese in there. I've got cheese. There was cheese. Yeah. But yeah. We're getting somewhere now aren't we? I just thought I'll have it.

3:26No questions asked. It was absolutely fantastic and then that evening you told you little stories. We've still got... I'm glad we weren't gonna go into that much detail through your whole day. Well basically burrito Hollywood sign you. Okay good. I think it's good to have days off. Of course it is. Of course it is because otherwise things can get tense. We've seen it. We've seen it. And it's a Joy to see. For any listeners listening in the UK that don't have access to Fox Sports. Which would be most people. Most people. Now, it's being anchored by... Rebecca Lowe. Who's absolutely fantastic. Yes.

4:00And then there's the three pundits. Thierry Henry used to play for Arsenal. Yeah. Zlatan Abrahimovic used to play for Man United. Everyone. And Alexei Lallas, who used to play for... America. America. Famously. Yeah. And then presumably the Seattle Sounders or something. And what I would say is, if you can get online and have a little look at what's going on in that studio, it seems like Thierry and Zlatan aren't his biggest fans. Well, Thierry just does Thierry stuff with his face, just does Thierry meme face reactions to everything Lala says. And then Zlatan just can't help himself and openly says he doesn't like him.

4:39Just openly. And it's kind of doing the rounds in America and everyone's talking about it. There was a situation the other day where Alexi Deleuze wasn't on and people assumed that he'd been relieved of his duties, but apparently he had another commitment. But it's absolutely fantastic to see. Well, yeah, because Zlatan said, you're welcome, America. He doesn't mince his words, does he? He doesn't at all, actually. He's a very confident man, Zlatan. He would have been good value at the bar last night, I think. And then today we were back together, reunited, went to see Belgium, Iran, some discussion over what time we were going to leave.

5:15Yeah. I have an in on the whistle policy. Yeah, it's ridiculous. Everyone else wanted to turn up an hour early. Not an hour early, but I wanted to hear the anthems. We walked in on the whistle. And it was perfect. To be fair. It was perfect. Jonathan and I got in a little bit in advance and embraced a little bit of the atmosphere whilst you leisurely... Going out with Rick Edwards, okay, is like taking a slug on a walk on an elastic lead. thank you very much it's very hard to get him anywhere on time I just I take things in at my own speed you really do you take the mickey sometimes the big result today in my eyes was Cape Verde another point this time against Uruguay and they are having a sensational I mean I know they've only got two points but they're just surprising everyone no one thought they were going to get two points and sometimes this obviously is an inflated tournament.

6:10So there's some teams in there that probably shouldn't be in there or are in there. So you think. Because it's a much larger tournament and so there are more places. I understand the maths of it, yeah. But then Cape Verde, I mean, we saw last week holding Spain. Fantastic. And then today, going 1-0 up with that goal. A little bit of Christmas of the wall, probably. Oh, the two-man wall? Yeah. The two-man wall that split like Moses? yeah yeah it was yeah I think I think the questions were asked by the goalkeeper as to why why did my two man wall just split and yeah please like a matador oh it's absolutely gift wrapped I mean to be fair it is still what a 35 40 yard goal I mean he's hit it from too far out I think everyone is surprised it's halfway in there half no one really thought it and then he's like he's not going it is he he's had a crack and he did have a crack And fair play to him.

7:08It's what makes the World Cup. I mean, we'll talk about the bigger names later on, but just seeing Cape Verde instill hope into so many people's eyes, it's just lovely. And we're glad that the goalkeeper's mum's there now. Yeah, lovely. So there was an agreement between the Cape Verde government, FIFA, and also who was at the US State Department. The base issued her a visa. She was able to watch her son, who has just gone over the 15 million follow-up mark on Instagram. And that's the main thing that I'm following. at this World Cup is how many followers a 40-year-old goalkeeper has got. Yeah, of course, yeah.

7:41And in that group, big result for Spain today, beating Saudi Arabia 4-0, and a standout performance from Lamin Yamal, scored his first World Cup goal today. Our Spanish football reporter, Elizabeth Conway, joins us now. Liz, you've written an article for the BBC Sport website, which we both enjoyed, and I'm just saying that, off the back of Yamal's performance. What was it like in the stadium, even when it was announced that he's in the team? Well, even before Lamine had touched the ball, the impact he has on the atmosphere is unbelievable. There's thousands of fans wearing his shirt, names everywhere.

8:17He's dominating conversations. When his face comes on the big screen as he's warming up, the place just goes wild. There's a roar like you wouldn't believe. And it's very distinct to Lamine, Imar. So the story was his before the game had even begun. From the very word go, he just took the game by the scruff of the neck, got the goal, touched it more than anyone else in the first 10 minutes, I think, and it just felt like he was up for it. Yeah, his magic sets the tone of the Spanish national team. And we saw that because they lacked him. They missed him so much in that opening game against Kate Verde, which was lacklustre.

8:56It was slow. It was lacking intensity. It was slow in the build-up. This was a new Spanish side because Laminimo set that tone. It was sharp. It was fearless. It was intense. They were playing with confidence, with assurance. And after he scored that goal, it just set the tone for the rest of the match. And again, it's the connection with the fans, with the atmosphere. When Lamin Imal is on that pitch, Spain play better. He's the game changer and he made a huge impact in today's game. There are these comparisons to Lionel Messi. I wonder if it's unfair, but you kind of can't help it, can you? because even the age that they scored their first World Cup goal is similar.

9:33Is he slightly younger? 14 days difference. So actually, Laminé Mala scored his first World Cup goal at a younger age than Lionel Messi. So already, he's kind of... He's better, is he? He's edging it already. A little bit. Yeah, the comparisons have started. And look, I was lucky enough to witness Messi's hat-trick when Argentina played against Algeria. And again, it's the Messi magic. it's this connection that the fans have with Messi with his ability to change the game and Laminio Mal, I see it I can see the way, he's the superstar amongst the team and people bought their tickets to see Laminio Mal and only time will tell if he is able to have the phenomenal career that Messi has, obviously been blessed with good fitness without avoiding injury which already, whether Laminio Mal was going to start today was questionable But Luis de la Fuente decided that it was a must-win game for Spain and therefore decided to start him.

10:29And that was the right decision today. And there's just been so much noise around him at Barcelona this season as well. And again, that's why the Messi comparisons come in. But I feel like when Messi came into that Barcelona team, there were superstars around him. It didn't just immediately become focused on him. Whereas with Yamal coming at this young age, it does feel like he is already the star. Absolutely. And anyone who's watched Barcelona this season will see the impact Jamal has on the pitch. The way he dances with the ball, the way he's able to get past defenders with such ease and just the confidence he plays with at such a young age.

11:07Obviously, former footballers who watch him will see it from a different perspective and will hope that he's been given the right support so that off the pitch, he's staying humble, making sure that he's got that right support because he's got a huge career ahead of him, but he's got a huge weight of pressure on his shoulders because people rely on him for Barcelona and for the Spanish national team to deliver this intensity that then changes the pace of the game. So I hope with the right support, we're going to see Laminimo at his best for many, many years to come. The goal itself that he scored wasn't an incredible goal.

11:43What, mate? I knew you were going to say that. It's incredible. It was an incredible goal to score at a World Cup. at the age he did. In a weird way, I think that's probably a good thing because I think if he'd have scored a worldie, I think there'd be more pressure on him. And already he has the world on his shoulders and people liking him, as we've already done, and a number of pundits have done in the last 24 hours, to Lionel Messi. So I think in a weird way, that was quite a nice goal for him to score because, let's face it, Liz, he is going to have to deal with a lot in the next, what, two or three years, let alone 15.

12:16Yeah, unquestionably. and the fact that he's back to full fitness is firstly that was the first question not whether Laminio was going to help Spain get to the final which is what every Spanish person wants it was whether Laminio was going to be fit to start in this World Cup he has had injuries this season in April he tore his hamstring he's had this kind of recurrent groin strain and Luis de la Fuente as I said he was seeing this as a long game we're here for a long time Spain have got a long way to go until they get to the final they so desperately want so they're managing Laminya Mal and this pressure that comes with him has to be managed because the expectations are on his shoulders but as you say a great goal a nice goal and a brilliant confidence boost it was his first World Cup goal that's a massive moment to celebrate and although it might not have been a worldie it's still something we should celebrate because he was phenomenal today.

13:06The thing about the The pressure on him is you can't see it at all in the way that he plays. And I was really interested by something that Guillain-Balaguet remarked about this, which was that he had told him that the joy he gets from playing football is when he gets the same kind of reaction now on the world stage as he used to when he was playing five-a-side. And that kind of youthful enthusiasm and approach, if he can maintain that, that will stand him in really good stead, won't it? unquestionably and you're right and he does come across really well he doesn't do loads of media but that the media I've seen him do in the interviews he's come across very maturely far more mature than than his age would suggest and he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders certainly the weight of Spain on his shoulders and clearly the Spanish national team is doing something well to support him because as you say he comes across humbly and and he's seeing these goals in the same way he saw the goals he scored when he was playing five a side.

14:07So that's credit to him and long may it continue. Can we just talk about the game in general? Obviously, they faced Cape Verde in the first game and didn't have a fantastic one. They've obviously played Saudi Arabia and they've won 4-0. I mean, you would kind of expect them to beat Saudi Arabia by some goals. But do you think when they come and face more difficult opposition, how do you think they'll fare? because there's been some people quite critical of this Spain. Yeah, and I can see where that criticism comes from. Four was a good result. The game against Cape Verde, it wasn't a strong performance from Spain, but they keep going back to this statement.

14:45In 2010, the World Cup winning team, they lost their first group game 1-0. It's not over yet. It's not over till it's over. I think we need to see this Spanish side against a really strong opponent. I think they'll play better. I think the Spanish side plays better when it comes up against strong opponents. And I think that will be the true test of whether they can see this tournament right till the end. Dele Fuente pushed back quite strongly against the criticism after the Cape Verde game. I think with good reason, actually. And he sort of pointed out, we've been unbeaten for 33 games in a row.

15:18You can have better days. But doubting this squad of very young players, I think it's unfair. I was definitely one of the people who were saying, well, Spain were rubbish. and when I saw him say that I was like, yeah, I'm back to rights I'm back to rights and look, the story that was a phenomenal game for all the reasons we didn't think it would be that was Cape Verde's night that was of a senior goalkeeper 40-year-old hero night and that was a wonderful story in itself and I think that was a wake-up call for Spain and I think in the long term that won't be a bad thing De La Fuente had to change things and Nico Williams and Laminimo weren't fit to start Lamin played for 90 minutes in that game.

15:56He started today, came off after half-time. That was the right decision. Again, they're playing the long game. They need to keep these vital players fit because this is a long tournament. I felt happy for Yazabal, actually, because after that Cape Verde game, there was a lot of criticism of people saying, we haven't even got a number nine. He's never going to score any goals. And then he bagged a couple in the first 20 minutes. You could see he was pleased with that. Oh, brilliancy. I don't know whether you saw the stat, which was brought to him in an interview that he became in the first game, the first ever World Cup player to start and not touch the ball.

16:29Oh yeah, for 30 minutes. I mean, it's not the kind of stat you want to be associated with, is it? But it was brought to him today and he said, look, he used that as motivation. He wanted to turn the tide, change the narrative. And what a performance he had today and two great goals. And I thought he was going to sneak the hat trick in there. But again, great to see two different goal scorers in the Spanish national team because it's not all Laminya Mott. Although he is, as we saw today, vital for this squad, they've got a wonderful set of players who are each having their moments. And yeah, great for him today.

17:02Well, nice chatting to you, Liz. Thanks so much.

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18:17Five Live Sports. So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you love. Check for LBW. Ouch. Lives on BBC Sounds. Smash straight back down the ground, this girl. Hear ball-by-ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a ball cricket and it's the huge one. Jeez. Settle down, toughness. Cricket on Five Live Sports. Oh, I'm living every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Football Day at the People World Cup 2026 with Rick Edwards and Lloyd Griffith live from LA. So as I mentioned, we went to the Belgium-Iran game earlier today. First time we've been to see Iran.

19:04First time we were in with the Iranian fans in Los Angeles and just arriving at the stadium, just everywhere you looked. Iranian flags, there were protests, people wearing t-shirts with with pictures of i guess people who've been killed in the war it was really it was very charged and then when we got into the into the stadium and actually i was there for the anthems thank you um because i did i was interested to see for myself what the reaction was to the anthem of the regime being played and certainly where where we were there was quite a lot of booing there was quite a lot of people kind of we're just making noise to sort of almost like drown it out but then as soon as the anthem finished their massive massive like rapturous applause which I guess was kind of their way of getting behind yeah getting behind the team the football team that they're sort of yeah the expressive support for the for the regime and the stadium again it was the one we're in for the USA Paraguay game but particularly where we were this time, you've just got a sense of how colossal this stadium is and these kind of very steep bank seats.

20:16It's so high. And the view that you have from... So we were in commentary positions, and I've never really had this in a stadium before. It's a bit like watching a big game of FIFA. Yeah. It's that kind of view that you have. It's quite sort of surreal, really. And you've got these new era of stadiums in America. You've got the older stadiums that we kind of saw in the World Cup in 1994, and we see a lot of American football in. But this is very much a new stadium. It seems futuristic, doesn't it, with that spaceship kind of thing in the middle? And we were walking around the outside just going, well, I've never seen anything on this scale in the UK.

20:53I mean, there isn't anything. There isn't anything. And even on the walk-in, as you say, there was a lot of protests, there was a lot of people with the current flags. And it was interesting seeing people support almost like the different teams within Iran and various different protests around and so it was just really interesting. I've never been to a football match before where there was so much geopolitics just around the stadium. Yeah, I mean it's such an unusual and bizarre situation clearly but it was the atmosphere then when you're in and the game started the kind of, the noise that the crowd were making anything positive from the Iran team it was so loud It was so loud.

21:35And it was quite intoxicating, really. Our Five Live commentary team were in there, sat right near us, actually. Dion Dublin and Connor McNamara. And we caught up with them straight after the game. Dion, nice to see you. You've been travelling all over the show. I have done some travelling, yes. I'm on my fifth flight tomorrow, I think, to Vancouver. And still got the love for it? Always, mate. Always got the love for it, you know what I mean? It's all about the energy and attacking it, attacking it. Look me in the eyes and tell me that. Are you still enjoying yourself, Dion? I'm loving it. Who said that?

22:05I'm just looking out for you. I'm looking out for you, that's all. Massive, massive point for Iran. The main thing was, and we knew it was going to be like this, it felt like a home game for Iran. And the atmosphere, the noise, I mean, you fellas have been in some stadiums. But just even like Iran make a kind of block, Iran get a tackle in, the keeper makes a save. Like it was a wall of sound, Conor. I think, look, there's obviously been a build-up to all of Iran's games. so we all know what's going on in the background and I think people were unsure as to quite how they'd be received. I think in the main, and let's not pick bones about it, there were some boos during the anthem, but in the main, I think this is a country that does love the underdog.

22:46They like rooting for the little guy in the fight as well and I think when Iran showed a bit of heart and we're getting stuck in and then Belgium suffered the red card, I think by the end, the neutrals in the crowd, from what I could gauge, were willing Iran to go and win it and I think that's what we see at World Cups. you know, teams emerge, I mean it sounds almost a bit disparaging to say, but you know, the plucky team or whatever, and we get behind them, Cape Verde being another good example, but there are a lot of them here, and one thing just to say, we tried to interview a few of them before the game for Five Live, and they said, oh, we don't want to be interviewed, we don't want to be, and you kind of let them remind you, they don't want to be on camera, they don't want to be seen, and this is just representing their country at a World Cup, so it's a big deal, and look, they're two games in, as things stand right now ahead of the other game, they're top of the group.

23:29Yeah, and it was interesting, the anthem actually, because we were in and I didn't know what kind of reaction it was going to get. We spoke to some people who were at the previous Iran game. There were some boos. There were some people kind of like drowning out, not with a boo, but like making other noise. But as soon as the anthem was over, massive round of applause. And it felt like that was the kind of approach from people. They're like, not really necessarily into the anthem, but then really want to be supportive of the team. And they continued that throughout, Dion. Yeah, I think the main vibe was encouragement and, you know, we hope you enjoy the game and that kind of vibe.

24:04Yeah, we did hear a few, but, you know, they were, like you say, they were quashed by positive sounds rather than boos. I think it's something that happens in why the minute silences at home became moments of applause is because if one person tries to spoil the moment, then it's the hundreds of other people telling them be quiet actually sounds like more of a disruption. So it could have been a little bit like that. Look, in the main, in terms of the football, the game itself, they had to sit so deep. They had to defend that. But any time they came out of counterattack, there was this roar of goodwill that they might just be able to make something.

24:34And I wish that free kick went in. I mean, it would have been brilliant. It's such a well-worked free kick as well. And yeah, it's nice to actually get the reaction to a goal and then obviously the reaction to the VAR intervention as a bit of a high point and a low point. but I actually thought Iran like Belgium were kind of huffing and puffing they had some chances but they didn't like really threaten them and the fact is I think we're all watching it thinking they're missing Doku yeah just that bit of pace down the wings I'm still waiting for Belgium to show us what they've got you know they've got so many big names really good players and you think well here we go today's the day when they're all going to click and it's going to be 4-5-0 and it just didn't happen they look a little bit slow sort of how Spain did this morning actually you're like that it'll be Spain just went through the gears and went, hold a minute, let's just put this to bed.

25:23Let's show people how good we are and we'll get it sorted. Belgium themselves haven't done it at all. I thought he ran defended incredibly. And that's the cheers you were talking about, Conor, when they blocked a shot or when the keeper made his fifth save, which could have been a goal. Unbelievable. The keeper was on fire. So good. I mean, there's a few I think he should have caught. But on the whole, I thought he was good. And also very brave. I mean, just coming out for pretty much every single cross. and it's great that you got superior man of the match. Superior player of the match. When Courtois made the saves that he made for the Iranian keeper to get the player of the match, that would mean even more to him.