Never before had Spain scored three goals in a first half of a European Championships match, nor had Carvajal scored a goal for Spain apart from in a penalty shootout, nor had a player under 17 played in the tournament, let alone as a starter.

A handful of records tumbled as Spain dispelled any doubts about their performance levels in one fell swoop on the legendary pitch of Berlin's Olympic Stadium in what is the most successful European Championships opening match in its history.

The team coached by Luis de la Fuente knocked out the third best team from the last World Cup and finalists of the Nations League with three clean blows in barely a quarter of an hour of the first half.

Thousands of Spanish fans never stopped cheering the national team from the packed stands of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

With a lineup in which the coach opted for the Nacho-Le Normand in a two-man defence, with Cucurella on the left and Nico Williams with the precocious Lamine Yamal on the wings. That lineup meant suffocating pressure applied in the Croatian half that shook off any doubts: Spain had come out determined to go for the victory.

As a result, the talented Balkan midfield had problems getting a foothold in the match, while tackles and interceptions followed one after the other, as did chances, such as Morata's first shot from the edge of the area after seven minutes.

Dalic's side, on the other hand, only troubled the Spanish goal from set pieces until, just before the half-hour mark, a quick transition and Fabian's precise pass with the speed and execution of Álvaro Morata, brought a goal as the strikers scored again in a major tournament to increase his spectacular goal scoring figures.

The goal spurred on the opposition, who came close to equalising when Kovacic's shot was repelled by a cat-like save from Unai Simón.

Fabián Ruiz, scorer of the second goal of the game, was awarded UEFA's man of the match award.

The Croatians' surge was short-lived, however, as Fabián Ruiz's stunning cut-back on the halfway line culminated in an unstoppable left-footed shot into the back of the Balkan goal.

It was a second goal that was followed, once again, with another save from Unai, unbeatable throughout the match, this time from Brozovic's shot.

The icing on the cake to a superb performance came from Lamine Yamal and Dani Carvajal, with a measured cross from the Catalan and a killer first-time finish from the Madrilenian, who scored his first goal for Spain apart from the one that won the Nations Cup penalty shoot-out against the same Croatian team..

3-0 at half-time and the score remained unchanged after the restart, with Croatia trying in every possible way to get into the match, including using their bench.

Lamine Yamal came close, with a shot stopped by Livakovic, to becoming the youngest scorer at the European Championships, Luis de la Fuente rotated his team and Unai Simón once again stretched out his hand to stop  a penalty taken by Petkovic with the following goal from the rebound disallowed at the behest of the VAR.

All in all, it was a dream goalfest to start a European Championships. Italy now awaits next Thursday in Gelsenkirchen.