In Atlanta, Lamine Yamal’s World Cup starting debut is full of flavor

They spanned ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds, arriving from near and far.

Welcome to Yamal of America — everyone’s invited.

They arrived as if on a mission, paying hundreds and thousands for the privilege of seeing him.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” said Axel Hinojos, who traveled from Alabama with wife Maggie to witness the wonder teen. “I didn’t want the World Cup to come here and not see him.”

Sunday at Atlanta Stadium, the 18-year-old global phenomenon made his first World Cup start, soccer’s next superstar performing his artistry before the world in Atlanta’s sports palace. His estimated market value of $229 million (per Transfermarkt) is tied with Norwegian striker Erling Haaland for highest in the world, more than 12% of the $1.8 billion edifice he graced.

This past Monday at the stadium, he was subbed in late in Spain’s opening match with Cape Verde in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue La roja from its embarrassing 0-0 draw. But Sunday, with the condition of his tender left hamstring improving, he gave the world his starting debut on soccer’s grandest platform.

Hence, the heightened anticipation for so many in the nearly full building to see him for the first time with their own eyes.

“It’s crazy — just watching him on TV and actually seeing him (in person) is a lot different,” said 14-year-old Krish Mandal, who flew down from Rochester, New York, with his father, Raj, to experience Yaminia.

Mason Ottaviano, another 14-year-old Yamal devotee, said he cried when his parents gave him and his younger brother Wesley tickets to Sunday’s game as a Christmas present.

“He’s just bringing magic back to the game,” said Mason, from Tallahassee, Florida.

On this day, the object of their affections brought a half’s worth of splendor, getting subbed out after halftime with Spain comfortably ahead 3-0, on its way to a 4-0 group-stage win.

But his legion of supporters were quickly rewarded. Playing on the right wing, he got his first touch within the first minute of the game, summoning a roar from the crowd.

He took a corner kick to cheers of “Lamine! Lamine!”

He sent a pinpoint cross to the far post to midfielder Alex Baena, who headed it back toward the goal mouth to create a scoring chance.

Again on the wing, he drew one of many double teams of the half, prompting a pass to trailing defender Pedro Porro, who unleashed a rocket of a shot that sailed high.

And then, shortly after, with the ball on the left side, Yamal dashed in from the right wing with far more space than he should have been allowed. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal rolled a pass to the back post, and Yamal guided it in with his right foot, sliding past the end line.

The stadium burst into a full-throated roar.

With the injury still a concern and playing in his first extended action since April, the package of his gifts were not on full display. But for a half he gave fans a healthy look — his masterful control of the ball, feints, cutbacks, the threaded diagonal passes to teammates into open space, the fear inspired just with the ball at his feet.

Yamal became the eighth-youngest player to score in the World Cup at 18 years and 343 days, 14 days younger than Lionel Messi. The youngest to score in the World Cup, Pelé, was but 17 when he billowed his first World Cup net at the 1958 World Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Atlanta will forever belong in the story of a bright, bright star.

“He has a sensation, I think, that he was born for these kinds of situations,” Juan Irigoyen, a sportswriter for the Spanish newspaper El País, said at halftime. “He sees himself as a special one. So the special ones works in special places.”

I asked Irigoyen if he thought Spain was playing better Sunday than it had against Cape Verde because of Yamal’s presence. He answered before I could finish the question.

“Of course,” he said with a chuckle.

Yamal spent the second half on the Spanish bench decked out in Spain’s warmup gear and Adidas slides that you might commonly see at a water park.

After the game, he acknowledged the Spanish fans with waves and over-the-head claps before ambling into the southeast tunnel, giving a fist bump to a security staffer as he exited the field.

However many more World Cup starts and goals are in Lamine Yamal’s future, the first will always be here.

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