Answer in brief
Lamine Yamal scored twice and created Marc Pubill’s first international goal as Spain won 4–1 in Seville. Two victories leave Spain three points clear before the next Nations League match.
A fast start becomes a clear group advantage
Spain beats Croatia 4–1 in the completed September 29 Nations League match in Seville, with Lamine Yamal supplying two goals and the cross for Marc Pubill’s first senior international strike. The score gives the headline its force, but the table gives it a practical consequence: Spain now have six points from two games, three more than either England or Croatia. The next round arrives on October 3, leaving little time to dwell on the celebration.
The victory followed Spain’s 3–2 away win against England on September 26. That combination matters because it covers two different demands: winning away against a group rival and responding at home after conceding an equaliser. Spain have earned a useful margin, although four league-phase matches remain. No quarter-final place has been secured by these opening results alone.
Yamal supplied both the finish and the answer
UEFA and RFEF agree on the decisive sequence. Yamal opened the scoring in the second minute after a move involving Fermín López. Croatia responded through Dion Beljo’s header from Ivan Perišić’s delivery. Spain then restored the lead through Pubill, who headed in Yamal’s cross. The quick response prevented Croatia from turning their equaliser into a long spell of scoreboard pressure.
Yamal scored again after the interval, with Pedri involved in the delivery through the defence. Nico Williams completed the scoring late on. The important distinction is between the teenager’s finishing and his creation for somebody else: two goals explain his personal return, while the assist explains how Spain regained control of the result. It also makes Pubill’s first international goal part of the central match story.
The second-round arithmetic in one view
The comparison below is reconstructed from UEFA’s completed Group A3 results on September 26 and 29. Goals for and against are added across the two matches, and points use three for a win. It is a dated view of the opening rounds, rather than a projection of where the teams will finish in November.
Spain’s seven goals are the group’s largest attacking total in that sample. Their three conceded also show why the four-goal performance should not be read as proof of flawless defending. England’s win in Czechia leaves two pursuers on three points. Croatia’s setback changes the early table, but their direct return against Spain offers another opportunity to alter it.
| Team | Matches | Goals for / against | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2 | 7 / 3 | 6 |
| England | 2 | 4 / 3 | 3 |
| Croatia | 2 | 3 / 5 | 3 |
| Czechia | 2 | 1 / 4 | 0 |
The supporting cast made the score possible
Barcelona’s international diary confirms that Yamal, Pau Cubarsí and Fermín started for Spain, while Dominik Livaković was in Croatia’s goal. RFEF’s team sheet adds a useful detail: Pedri and Nico Williams entered from the bench before contributing to the later scoring. Spain’s threat therefore came from the starting side and the changes, giving the coaching staff several productive combinations to review.
Our reading of the documented actions is that the match rewarded connections around Yamal, as well as his individual skill. A teammate helped open the route to the first finish, Pubill offered a target for the cross, and Pedri helped release the winger after the break. The reports establish those actions. They do not provide a comparable expected-goals model or a full possession-by-possession tactical audit.
Oviedo comes before the return in Croatia
RFEF identifies Czechia in Oviedo on October 3 as Spain’s next challenge. UEFA then lists the away return against Croatia for October 6. That short sequence makes selection and continuity the immediate questions: which combinations can be retained, which players can be rotated, and whether the team can preserve its advantage while playing repeatedly within the same international window.
For viewers following the next round, the useful reference is the completed group picture above. A starting lineup, an injury decision or another win cannot be assumed from the Seville result. Spain have banked six points and shown several ways to score; what they do with that position will be determined by the matches still to come.
Questions and answers
What was the Spain–Croatia result?
Spain won 4–1 on September 29, 2026. Lamine Yamal scored twice, while Marc Pubill and Nico Williams scored once each. Dion Beljo scored Croatia’s goal.
How did Yamal influence the game?
He scored the opener and Spain’s third goal, and his cross supplied Pubill’s header for 2–1. Those are three documented scoring contributions; they are not a measurement of every chance Spain created.
When do Spain play next?
RFEF lists Spain against Czechia in Oviedo on October 3. UEFA then schedules Croatia against Spain on October 6. Both fixtures were still future events at the October 1 cutoff.