Spain extend unbeaten run after Croatia win

What's happened

Spain has maintained an unbeaten streak with a 4-1 Nations League win over Croatia, sparked by Lamine Yamal’s early goals and followed by a second-half surge. Rodri and Pubill added to the lead before Merino sealed the victory amid a late red card for Krejci. The win continues Spain’s 40-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

What's behind the headline?

Analysis

• Yamal’s early bursts continue to define Spain’s attacking intent; his 11th goal in eight games highlights his growing influence and could accelerate his Ballon d’Or case.
• Rodri’s return to form reinforces Spain’s ability to control games from midfield, providing balance as Yamal rotates between creating and finishing.
• The tactical shift after halftime, with Yamal withdrawn, shows De la Fuente’s management of youth assets to balance intensity with rest, preserving their rhythm for upcoming fixtures.
• The dismissal of Krejci alters the Czech Republic’s chances, reaffirming Spain’s edges in high-stakes group play and highlighting how discipline can tilt outcomes.
• This result underscores Spain’s sustained dominance in home fixtures since lifting the World Cup, a pattern that will influence expectations for future qualifiers and tournaments.

How we got here

Spain opened their home campaign after lifting the World Cup, with Yamal scoring in the opening minutes of multiple matches and De la Fuente handing debuts to Fresneda and Fernandez. The result solidifies Spain’s standing in UEFA Nations League Group A3 as they look ahead to upcoming fixtures.

Our analysis

- Al Jazeera (Sep 26-29, 2026): Spain 4-1 Croatia; Yamal’s early goal and Pubill’s header; Merino finishes. - The Guardian (Sep 29, 2026): Yamal twice in 4-1 win, with Merino sealing late. - Arab News (Sep 29, 2026): Spain extend 40-match unbeaten run; Yamal’s contributions noted; Rodri lifts World Cup trophy pre-match.

Go deeper

• How will Yamal’s form impact Spain’s selection ahead of tougher fixtures?
• Will Merino’s late winner influence him winning more playing time?
• What does this mean for Croatia’s preparation in their next Nations League games?

More on these topics

• Spain - Country

  Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula.

• Lamine Yamal - Spanish footballer

  Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana is a Spanish professional footballer from Catalonia who plays as a right winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is regarded as one of the best young talents in the world.

• Croatia - Country in the Balkans

  Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Southeast Europe. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro to the southeast, sharing a maritime border with Ital

• David Raya - Spanish footballer

  David Raya Martin is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Brentford. He began his senior career with Blackburn Rovers and transferred to Brentford in 2019.

• Mikel Merino - Spanish footballer (born 1996)

  Mikel Merino Zazón (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmikel meˈɾino]; born 22 June 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or striker for Premier League club Arsenal and the Spain national team. He began his career with Osasuna, and had short spells at Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United before signing for Real Sociedad in 2018, winning the 2019–20 Copa del Rey with the club while totalling 242 appearances and 27 goals. In August 2024, he joined Premier League side Arsenal. Merino represented Spain in two European Under-21 Championships, winning the 2019 edition. He made his senior debut in 2020, being selected for Euro 2024, which Spain won, and the 2026 World Cup.

• Gianni Infantino - President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association

  Giovanni Vincenzo "Gianni" Infantino is a Swiss–Italian football administrator and the current president of FIFA. He was elected President of FIFA during the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress on 26 February 2016.

• Czech Republic - Country in Central Europe

  The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The Czech Republic has a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,871 square kilometers (30,452 sq mi) with a mostly temperate continental and oceanic climate. The capital and largest city is Prague; other major cities and urban areas include Brno, Ostrava, Plzeň and Liberec. The Duchy of Bohemia was founded in the late 9th century under Great Moravia. It was formally recognized as an Imperial Estate of the Holy Roman Empire in 1002 and became a kingdom in 1198. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, all of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown were gradually integrated into the Habsburg monarchy. Nearly a hundred years later, the Protestant Bohemian Revolt led to the Thirty Years' War. After the Battle of White Mountain, the Habsburgs consolidated their rule. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Crown lands became part of the Austrian Empire. During the 19th century, the Czech lands underwent significant industrialization...

• Le Normand - French footballer

  Robin Le Normand is a French professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Spanish club Real Sociedad.

• Wembley Stadium - Multi-purpose stadium in Wembley, England

  Wembley Stadium is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003.

• UEFA Nations League - Sports association

  The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport's European governing body.

• United States - Country in North America

  The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.

• Donald Trump - 45th and 47th U.S. President

  Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

• Balogun - Footballer

  Folarin Balogun is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal.

• England - Country of the United Kingdom

  England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by

• Dominik Livaković - Croatian footballer

  Dominik Livaković is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Prva HNL club Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatia national team.

• Nico Williams - Footballer

  Nicholas "Nico" Williams Arthuer is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Athletic Bilbao.

• Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) - Football organization

  FIFA is a non-profit organization which describes itself as an international governing body of association football, fútsal, beach soccer, and efootball. It is the highest governing body of football.

• Pedri - Spanish footballer

  Pedro González López, commonly known as Pedri, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Barcelona.

• Dani Olmo - Spanish footballer

  Daniel Olmo Carvajal is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig and the Spain national team. He can play as either an attacking midfielder or a winger.

• Oviedo - City in Spain

  Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city.

• Mauricio Pochettino - Argentine football manager

  Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero is an Argentine professional football manager and former player, who was most recently the manager of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

• Rodri - Spanish footballer

  Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, known as Rodri or Rodrigo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team.

• Belgium - Country in Europe

  Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Country in the Balkans

  Bosnia and Herzegovina, abbreviated BiH or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country in South and Southeast Europe, located within the Balkans. Sarajevo is the capital and largest city.

• Thomas Tuchel - German football coach

  Thomas Tuchel is a German professional football coach and former player. He is the head coach of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.

• Orlando - Wikimedia disambiguation page

  Orlando commonly refers to: Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States Orlando: A Biography, a novel by Virginia Woolf Orlando may also refer to: