Lamine Yamal got Spain back on track during an eventful Sunday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
After Spain’s blowout win, Iran earned a hard-fought point against Belgium and Cape Verde gave Uruguay a brief scare with its first-ever World Cup goal.
Here is everything you might have missed on Day 11 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
- Spain is now on a 32-game unbeaten streak. Spain also continues its streak of not winning at least one of its two opening games at the World Cup. The last time that happened was in 2014.
- Spain is starting two teenagers (Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí) for the third time in their last five World Cup group-stage matches.
- Yamal became the eighth-youngest player to score in a World Cup at 18 years, 343 days old, passing Lionel Messi for that spot.
- Spain has not lost any of the 22 matches that Lamine Yamal has started (16 wins, six draws).
- Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice and assisted once in the first half, becoming only the second player on record (from 1966) to score or assist three goals in the opening 25 minutes of a World Cup match. The other: Hungary’s László Fazekas against El Salvador in 1982.
Spain vs Saudi Arabia Prolonged Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™
Belgium vs. Iran
- With an average age of 32 years and 181 days, Iran fielded the oldest starting XI since OPTA began tracking in 1966.
- Excluding own goals, Belgium has now gone 406 minutes at the World Cup since scoring a goal.
- Belgium has taken 69 shots at the World Cup since a Belgium player last got on the scoresheet (Michy Batshuayi vs. Canada in 2022), according to OPTA.
- Belgium registered 23 shots against Iran, which is its most without scoring in a World Cup game since 1994, when it had 28 against Saudi Arabia.
- Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy’s red card was the eighth of this World Cup. The last two World Cups had eight combined (four each).
Belgium vs Iran Prolonged Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
- Cape Verde is the first national team to score from a direct free kick as its first goal in a World Cup since at least 1966, according to OPTA.
- Goalkeepers Fernando Muslera (40 years and 5 days) and Verde Vozinha (40 years and 18 days) are the first pair of players over 40 to start the same World Cup match.
- Striker Darwin Núñez hasn’t scored in his last 15 appearances for Uruguay. His last goal came in June 2024 at Copa América.
- Maxi Araújo is the first player to be involved in three goals in Uruguay’s first two matches in a World Cup since at least 1966 (two goals and one assist). He’s also the first Uruguay player to both score and assist in the same match in the tournament since Juan Mugica against Israel in 1970.
- This game featured the lowest combined population (3.9 million people) of any group-stage match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Uruguay vs Cape Verde Prolonged Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™
New Zealand vs. Egypt
- Egypt recorded its first win ever at the FIFA World Cup with with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand at BC Plce.
- Mo Salah is the first Egyptian player ever to play in four World Cup matches.
- Salah is the first player to score at multiple World Cups for Egypt. His third career World Cup goal also passed Abdel Fawzi (two) as the country’s all-time top goalscorer at the World Cup.
- Trézéguet joins Salah as the only Egyptian players ever to play in four World Cup matches. He netted his first World Cup goal in the win.
- This is the first time that Egypt has scored three goals in a World Cup match.
New Zealand vs Egypt Prolonged Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™
BEST OF THE DAY
Save Of The Day
Belgium was accountable for Sunday’s matchup towards Iran, and the Pink Devils regarded just like the extra seemingly workforce to interrupt by means of with a objective.
A defining second within the recreation got here within the 59th minute, when Belgium star Kevin de Bruyne brilliantly managed a lofted move from Leandro Trossard close to the touchline. He performed a move into the field, the place left again Maxim De Cuyper ultimately put a shot on objective that Beiranvand acquired a robust hand on.
Seven minutes later, the sport modified when Belgium heart again Nathan Ngoy was despatched off. Iran stayed defensively sturdy and acquired its second draw of the event forward of its ultimate recreation of the event subsequent week towards Egypt.
Help Of The Day
Mikel Oyarzabal’s wonderful first 25 minutes completed with a tap-in end on the again submit after an important passing sequence that noticed the ball not contact the bottom.
Proper again Pedro Porro performed a move to the far submit, which Marc Cucurella performed towards the middle of the field, the place Olmo saved the ball within the air along with his head. From there, it landed proper at Oyarzabal’s foot for a simple end.
Aim Of The Day
Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup objective was scored in type.
Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur dedicated a foul about 30 yards away from objective in the midst of the sector. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera put two gamers in his defensive wall, though it proved vastly ineffective.
Pina stepped up and smashed a shot by means of the wall that moved away from Muslera and snuck contained in the submit. It was an important hit from the Cape Verde-born midfielder that shocked Miami Stadium.
Second Of The Day
Spain’s 18-year-old phenom got here on for the ultimate quarter of the workforce’s 0-0 draw towards Cape Verde to open the event. He regarded energetic however couldn’t break by means of.
It took him 10 minutes to get the ball into the again of the web towards Saudi Arabia. Spain attacker Mikel Oyarzabal held up possession on the left wing after which performed a superb ball into the again submit, the place Yamal slid in to tuck the ball dwelling. It was an important second for the participant who we ranked because the No. 1 player at the World Cup, in addition to a sign that Spain continues to be a severe contender.
