Yamal emulates Okocha's 1998 feat for most dribbles

Lamine Yamal, a Spanish teenager, has matched a World Cup dribbling record that has remained unbroken since 1998, with statistics indicating that the Barcelona winger averages 12 successful dribbles per ninety minutes at the ongoing 2026 tournament, a feat last achieved by former Super Eagles captain Jay-Jay Okocha during Nigeria's campaign at the France 1998 World Cup.

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According to ESPN, Yamal's average of 12 successful dribbles per ninety minutes is the highest by any player to feature for more than 200 minutes at a single World Cup since Okocha managed the same rate 28 years ago, highlighting the teenager's growing influence on Spain's progress in the tournament.

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Jay-Jay Okocha, one of Nigeria's most celebrated footballers, played in all three of the Super Eagles' group matches at the 1998 finals in France, including a memorable 3-2 win over Spain in Nantes and a 1-0 victory over Bulgaria.

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Okocha's campaign with Nigeria ended in the round of 16, where they lost 4-1 to Denmark at the Stade de France, in a tournament that did not have a round of 32, with teams progressing directly from the group stage to the last 16.

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Against Spain, Okocha inspired a Nigerian side that came from behind twice to win one of the most celebrated matches in the country's football history, with goals from Mutiu Adepoju, an own goal from Andoni Zubizarreta, and a stunning long-range strike from Sunday Oliseh securing victory.

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Statistics from the match, later revisited by FIFA, showed that Okocha completed nine dribbles, created two chances, and delivered three crosses in an all-action display that earned him a retrospective Player of The Match award, presented 28 years after the game was played.

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Okocha's dribbling exploits at the 1998 tournament followed an even more impressive display four years earlier, when he completed 15 successful dribbles against Italy at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, a record that remains the most successful dribbles by any player in a single World Cup match.

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Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 during the build-up to the tournament, has been one of the standout performers of the 2026 finals so far, with Spain winning all eight matches in which the teenager has started at a major tournament.

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This record represents the best win rate for any European player in a World Cup or European Championship starting line-up, with a 100 per cent win rate.

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Yamal also became, alongside team-mate Pau Cubarsi, one of the first pair of teenagers to start a World Cup knockout match together for any nation in 68 years, since Pele and Antonio Altafini did so for Brazil in 1958.

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Luis de la Fuente's side eased past Austria in the round of 32 without appearing troubled, and Yamal, who overcame a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Barcelona in April, has continued to grow into his role as Spain's talisman heading into the knockout rounds.