Yamal Unfazed by Goal Drought as Spain March into World Cup Semi-finals

Los Angeles, July 2026 : Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has dismissed concerns over his lack of goals at the FIFA World Cup, insisting that lifting the trophy is far more important than individual statistics after Spain booked their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium.

Despite being one of the tournament’s brightest young stars, the 18-year-old Barcelona winger has found the net only once in the competition—a goal that came during Spain’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the group stage. However, Yamal believes his contribution extends far beyond scoring goals.

Speaking after Spain’s dramatic quarter-final triumph in Los Angeles, Yamal said he enters every match with the objective of helping the team rather than chasing personal milestones.

“Of course I want to score, but I never step onto the pitch thinking only about goals,” Yamal said. “My focus is always on helping the team in every possible way. If we go on to win the World Cup, nobody will remember how many goals I scored. What matters most is winning the trophy.”

The teenage forward explained that even when he is not on the scoresheet, his movement and creativity create opportunities for his teammates and force opposition defenders to focus on him.

“I know I can contribute even without scoring. My movement attracts defenders and creates space for others. I always try to do everything possible to help the team succeed,” he added.

Yamal burst onto the international stage during Spain’s triumphant UEFA European Championship campaign two years ago when, at just 16, he emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers. Interestingly, he also scored only once during that competition—a spectacular strike against France in the semi-final—but played a vital role throughout Spain’s title-winning run.

Drawing comparisons with that tournament, Yamal suggested there is unnecessary pressure on him to score more frequently.

“People think I should be scoring more because of the expectations after the Euros,” he said with a smile. “But we won the European Championship with me scoring only one goal, and I also have one goal at this World Cup. So I’m completely relaxed.”

Spain will now face tournament favourites France in a blockbuster semi-final, with the clash carrying added significance for Yamal. The match will take place just one day after the Barcelona star celebrates his 19th birthday, providing him with an opportunity to shine on one of football’s biggest stages.

France, led by the prolific Kylian Mbappe, have emerged as one of the tournament’s strongest attacking sides, setting up what promises to be an exciting contest between two European heavyweights.

Looking ahead to the showdown, Yamal acknowledged the challenge but remained confident in Spain’s chances.

“There are only two possibilities,” he said. “Either France reach their third consecutive World Cup final, or we beat them for the third time in a row. We’ll see what happens.”

While goals have been difficult to come by for Yamal in this World Cup, his pace, creativity and ability to stretch defences have remained crucial to Spain’s impressive campaign. The Spanish camp will now hope the teenage prodigy can produce another memorable performance as they bid to overcome France and move one step closer to reclaiming the FIFA World Cup title.