Lamine Yamal scores twice as Spain thrash Croatia 4-1 in first home game since World Cup triumph

Spain played at home for the first time since lifting the World Cup and marked the occasion with a 4-1 thrashing of Croatia in the Nations League. Lamine Yamal stole the show at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán with two goals and an assist, a display that arrives just after Ballon d'Or voting closed and further boosts his case for the award.

• Lamine Yamal opened the scoring after 75 seconds and completed a brace against Croatia.
• Marc Pubill and Nico Williams rounded off Spain's Nations League victory.
• Rodri presented the World Cup trophy to the home crowd at the Sánchez-Pizjuán.
• The Barcelona forward's performance strengthens his Ballon d'Or credentials ahead of the 26 October announcement.

Lamine Yamal's fastest international goal puts Spain ahead

The Barcelona winger wasted no time punishing Croatia. After scoring inside two minutes in Saturday's win at Wembley against England, he beat Dominik Livakovic with a left-footed finish just 75 seconds after kick-off in Andalusia. The goal takes his international tally to nine in 36 appearances for Spain.

Croatia equalise before Spain strike back before half-time

Slaven Bilic's side found an equaliser approaching the half-hour mark. Dion Beljo, a 6ft 4in striker, rose to head home an Ivan Perisic cross and level the score. The visitors' joy lasted only two minutes: Marc Pubill arrived in the box to meet a pinpoint Lamine Yamal delivery and restore the world champions' lead before the break.

Lamine Yamal beats his Barcelona teammate and Nico Williams finishes the job

In the second half, Lamine Yamal turned scorer once again. Just after the hour mark he surprised Livakovic, his Barcelona teammate, with a strike at the near post to make it 3-1. With the game already decided, Nico Williams capped the night with a sharp dribble and finish inside the final two minutes.

World Cup trophy celebration in Seville and Lamine Yamal's reaction

Before kick-off, the home crowd enjoyed an emotional moment. Rodri, Spain's captain, displayed the World Cup trophy on the pitch at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. He received it from Jesús Navas, a Sevilla legend and World Cup winner with Spain in 2010. The stadium was packed to welcome the champions back to Spanish soil.

"We were very excited to bring the cup here. To be able to win the game and bring it home is great," Lamine Yamal said after the match.

How Lamine Yamal's brace strengthens his Ballon d'Or case

The young forward's masterclass comes at a meaningful moment for his individual ambitions. Ballon d'Or voting closed on Monday, the day before the match, and the winner will be announced on 26 October. His two goals and an assist against Croatia, combined with his strike at Wembley three days earlier, reinforce a season in which he was already a key piece in Spain's World Cup triumph.

Spain's position in Nations League Group A3

With this victory, Spain maintain a perfect start to the Nations League group stage. La Roja's next fixture is on Saturday against Czechia, another chance to consolidate their lead at the top of Group A3. Luis de la Fuente's side have kept up a relentless rhythm since becoming world champions.

Elsewhere in the Nations League: Slovenia, Iceland and a Faroe Islands surprise

The matchday brought other notable results across the groups. In Group B1, Slovenia beat North Macedonia 2-0 thanks to goals from Sandi Lovric and Aljosa Matko. Iceland, meanwhile, cruised to a 3-0 win away to Luxembourg.

There was also room for surprises: Moldova were held to a 1-1 home draw by the Faroe Islands. In the remaining fixtures, Slovakia edged Kazakhstan 2-1, Estonia drew 1-1 in Bulgaria, and Finland and Belarus played out a goalless draw in Helsinki.