Lamine Yamal scored twice as Spain beat France 5–4 in a thrilling UEFA Nations League semi-final to set up a final showdown with Portugal.
The 17-year-old Barcelona star was at the heart of Spain’s dominant display in Stuttgart, helping his team race into 4–0 and 5–1 leads. Yamal, already seen as a contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or, delivered a performance that matched the hype.
Spain looked in complete control early on. Nico Williams opened the scoring before Mikel Merino made it 2–0. Yamal then won a penalty after being fouled by Adrien Rabiot and coolly converted it himself, sending French goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way.
Pedri added a fourth with a sharp finish after another assist from Williams. France pulled one back through a Kylian Mbappé penalty, awarded after a foul by Spain’s Pedro Porro. But Yamal responded quickly with a low strike to make it 5–1.
The match looked settled, but France mounted a stunning late comeback. On his international debut, substitute Rayan Cherki scored a brilliant volley from 20 yards after a clever pass from Mbappé.
Dani Vivian then scored an own goal with six minutes to play, and in the third minute of stoppage time, Randal Kolo Muani headed in a cross from Cherki to bring France within one goal.
Despite the late pressure, Spain held on to secure a spot in Sunday’s final in Munich, where they will face Portugal. France will meet hosts Germany in the third-place playoff in Stuttgart.
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