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Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal grabbed attention even before kickoff of his side's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash against Austria, arriving at Los Angeles Stadium wearing a Batman chain and confidently pointing towards it as he greeted supporters.
The 18-year-old Barcelona winger, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, walked out with the Spanish squad ahead of the match, acknowledging fans before the players went through their pre-match warm-up. In a moment that quickly caught the eye, Yamal gestured towards his Batman chain, adding a touch of personality before stepping onto the biggest knockout stage of his international career, according to a video shared by the Spanish Football team's official account on X. https://x.com/SEFutbol/status/2072748841485705536?s=20 The stylish arrival came on a landmark day for both Yamal and Spain. The Round of 32 contest marks the winger's first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout appearance, while Spain are also playing their first international match at Los Angeles Stadium. Yamal's return to the starting XI is a major boost for Luis de la Fuente's side after he missed time with a hamstring issue. He starts alongside Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsi, with the pair creating a slice of World Cup history even before the opening whistle. According to Opta, Yamal and Cubarsi have become the first teenagers to start a FIFA World Cup knockout match together for the same nation since Brazil's Pele and Jose Altafini did so against Wales in the 1958 quarter-finals, ending a 68-year wait for such a feat. Barcelona's influence is evident throughout Spain's lineup, with Pedri and Dani Olmo also starting, taking the club's representation in the XI to four players. Rodri anchors the midfield alongside Pedri and Alex Baena, while Mikel Oyarzabal leads the attack with Yamal. Unai Simon starts in goal behind a defence comprising Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Cubarsi and Marc Cucurella. Eric Garcia, Joan Garcia, Gavi and Ferran Torres begin the match on the bench. Spain enter the knockout tie unbeaten after topping Group H. Following an opening goalless draw against Cape Verde, the European champions defeated Saudi Arabia 4-0 before edging Uruguay 1-0 to seal top spot. Austria, managed by Ralf Rangnick, finished runners-up in Group J after a 2-0 defeat to Argentina, a thrilling 3-3 draw with Algeria and a 3-1 victory over Jordan. The Austrians start with Alexander Schlager in goal, while Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba, Nicolas Seiwald, Marcel Sabitzer, Romano Schmid, Konrad Laimer, Paul Wanner and Michael Gregoritsch all feature in the starting lineup. The winner of the contest will advance to the Round of 16, where Portugal or Croatia await in Dallas on July 6. (ANI)
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