EURO 2024: Lamine Yamal can challenge Mbappe, Ronaldo for Player of the Tournament

Spain's thunderous 3-0 win over Croatia in their EURO 2024 opener was a statement of intent, and at the heart of their dominance was a 16-year-old high school student, Lamine Yamal.

The Barcelona wonderkid, terrorized Croatia's defense with his pace, skill, and vision, leaving one of the world's top defenders, Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, struggling to keep up.

Yamal's performance was a masterclass, as he ran at the Croatia defence endlessly, twisting and turning, and eventually setting up the third goal, scored by Dani Carvajal.

His tender age belies his immense talent, and Spain's coach, Luis de la Fuente, is clearly aware of the gem he has on his hands, with his offensive plan heavily reliant on feeding Yamal the ball relentlessly on the right wing.

As Spain seek to end their 12-year wait for a major trophy, Yamal's emergence could be the X-factor they need to go all the way.

While there are more popular names at this summer's event, the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Yamal's incredible talent means he must be in those conversations.

A fearless teenager with nothing to lose, Yamal could propel Spain deep into the tournament and earn him a place among the contenders for the Player of the Tournament award.

For Luis de la Fuente, the game plan is simple: give Lamine Yamal the ball and let the teenage wizard work his magic.