Lamine Yamal Outshines Ballon d'Or Contenders: 'The Best is to Talk on the Pitch'

Lamine Yamal stole the spotlight in the battle of Ballon d’Or contenders, netting twice as Spain narrowly defeated France 5-4 in a thrilling Nations League semifinal on Thursday.

At just 17, Yamal showcased his exceptional talent, overshadowing French standouts Desire Doué and Ousmane Dembélé. Spain's head coach, Luis de la Fuente, was effusive with praise, stating, "Yamal made a big statement tonight and showed that he should win the Ballon d’Or. He's the best player in the world." Yet, Yamal remained modest, expressing, "The best is to talk on the pitch."

Yamal’s performance was a masterclass in composure rather than fireworks. After Spain took a commanding lead in the second half, Yamal coolly converted a penalty to make it 3-0, sending French goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way. He sealed his second goal of the evening with a deft shot beneath Maignan's grasp, putting Spain decisively ahead.

Spain’s triumph secured their spot in Sunday’s final against Portugal, who bested Germany 2-1 in another semifinal clash.

The evening was hyped as a showcase of emerging stars, but the fatigue from Paris Saint-Germain's recent Champions League victory seemed to weigh heavily on the French players, with PSG stars Doué and Dembélé failing to impress as Yamal shone.

Nico Williams was instrumental, opening the scoring with a dazzling play after receiving a precise pass from Yamal. Mikel Merino followed swiftly with a second goal, displaying Spain's offensive prowess.

Adrien Rabiot's penalty foul on Yamal did nothing to stem the tide, with Yamal converting his chance from the spot. Pedri’s quick footwork added another, slipping the ball past Maignan, who was caught off-guard once more.

The high-stakes encounter saw Kylian Mbappe convert a penalty for France when they were trailing 4-0. Rayan Cherki, making his debut, added a late goal, followed by a Spanish own goal and a Kolo Muani strike in stoppage time, underscoring France's fighting spirit.

Reflecting on the game, Yamal remarked, "It was a great game. In the end it was a little close, but we played very well, and I think deserved to win. France is a great team. They are players who make you suffer until the end. But we are happy with the win."