There is one number behind Lamine Yamal’s rise that says more about his importance to Spain than any goal or assist could.
Yamal has never known defeat on the biggest stage. The Barcelona winger has started 12 matches across the World Cup and European Championship combined, and finished on the winning side in every single one, a 100 percent win rate unmatched by any European player across the two competitions.
His run began at Euro 2024, where he burst onto the scene as a teenager and helped Spain lift the trophy, and it has continued seamlessly through this World Cup.
To put the streak in context, the last time Spain lost a knockout match at a major tournament was back in December 2022, when Morocco beat them on penalties in the round of 16 in Qatar, months before Yamal had even made his senior tournament debut.
12 – Lamine Yamal has started 12 games at the FIFA World Cup and UEFA EUROs combined ending on the winning side in all 12 – the best 100%-win rate of any European player across the two competitions when starting.
Charm. https://t.co/TkuTANVLvw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 14, 2026
Since then, Spain have not tasted defeat in a single knockout match, a run now standing at eight straight wins, while also extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 37 games.
He is one of five European players with the most combined World Cup and European Championship appearances without ever suffering defeat. All five play their international football for Spain.
At just 19 years old, Yamal already holds a European Championship winners medal and now stands one win away from a World Cup title too, with his unbeaten record showing no signs of being tested any time soon.
Picture: X/@lamineeyamalfan
