Spain arrived at Atalanta Stadium determined to prove right those who had tipped them as favourites to win the entire tournament.
Following the shock of a goalless draw against World Cup debutants Cape Verde, La Roja needed a performance that would remind everyone of their quality and they delivered exactly that.
Spain started with real intensity, and in the 10th minute, Alex Baena played Mikel Oyarzabal through on the left wing. Oyarzabal whipped in a low cross from the left half-space, threading it between the goalkeeper and defender to find Lamine Yamal at the back post, who slid in to tap home.
In the 21st minute, Saudi Arabia could only half-clear a corner, and the loose ball fell to Olmo. His attempted shot struck a Saudi defender and ran through to Aymeric Laporte, who headed the ball into the path of Oyarzabal. The forward took a touch before doubling Spain’s lead.
A deep cross from Pedro Porro found Marc Cucurella, who flicked it on for Dani Olmo to head the ball back across the six-yard box. Olmo’s header found Oyarzabal completely unmarked, and he tapped home his second of the night.
In the 49th minute, Baena’s near-post corner was flicked on by a Saudi defender attempting to clear it, only for the ball to fall to Cucurella at the back post. Cucurella struck it first time, with the effort heading straight for Mohammed Al-Owais.
The goalkeeper, attempting to block it with his feet, could only divert the ball into the head of Hassan Al-Tambakti, who turned it into his own net.
A four goal thrashing of Saudi Arabia and Spain regained the trust of their supporters.
Four changes, one statement: De la Fuente’s lineup overhaul delivers
Luis de la Fuente made several changes to his starting XI following the draw against Cape Verde, a result that left many watching in disbelief.
The Spaniard brought in Pedro Porro for Marcos Llorente at right-back, Dani Olmo for Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Alex Baena for Pablo Gavi on the left wing, and Lamine Yamal for Ferran Torres on the right.
Four changes after a single match may seem extreme, but the shift was a deliberate statement of intent. Spain needed to reassert themselves as genuine contenders following the upset in their opening fixture.
The gamble paid off. Each of the changed players made a tangible impact, and the team’s overall performance improved markedly compared to the Cape Verde match.
Porro’s inclusion allowed Yamal to operate in a wider position, freeing him to influence the game from his preferred area of the pitch.
In the previous match, Llorente had pushed forward while Ferran tucked inside, but neither player could make an impact, largely because the role did not suit their natural strengths.
Porro, by contrast, is technically superior to Llorente, capable of inverting into midfield or making both underlapping and overlapping runs. That added variety complemented Yamal’s preference for drifting either inside to create central threat or wide to deliver crosses.
Olmo’s inclusion in place of Ruiz represented more of a profile switch than a like-for-like swap. Olmo thrives attacking the box, whereas Ruiz is primarily a tempo-controlling midfielder who prefers shooting from distance.
The numbers reflected that difference. Olmo generated 0.47 xA and registered an assist, compared to just 0.08 xA from Ruiz against Cape Verde.
Olmo’s ability to receive the ball in tight spaces near the Saudi Arabia box created space for his teammates and opened the game up considerably.
The changes on the wing were similarly necessary. Both Gavi and Ferran had been deployed wide against Cape Verde, but neither suited the role, and it showed in their performances.
Baena delivered seven crosses in this match, compared to just two from Gavi in the previous game.
Yamal, meanwhile, played only a half compared to Ferran’s 81 minutes against Cape Verde, yet recorded just six fewer touches than his predecessor managed in significantly more time on the pitch.
That statistic alone underlines how reliant Spain remains on Yamal to make the difference, whether through creating chances or scoring goals himself.
Some credit for the victory should also go to the team’s mentality, evident from the moment the referee blew the whistle to start the match.
Spain were relentless throughout, playing with the conviction of a side determined to reaffirm the quality and dominance they showcased at UEFA Euro 2024, and to announce themselves as genuine contenders for the World Cup.