Spain progressed to the UEFA Nations League final on Thursday after a spectacular 5-4 victory over France in their semi-final clash in Stuttgart. And as expected, Lamine Yamal was at the heart of the win for La Roja.
Lamine Yamal reacts to Spain’s victory over France
The 17-year-old scored twice during the victory, while he also won a penalty. It was yet another big-game performance from the Barcelona man, who reflected on the match when speaking to the media (via MD).
“France is a great team, they make you suffer, it’s normal. They are players who make you suffer until the end. But we are very happy with the victory. Portugal will be the same as this match, with world class players. We are very good teams and I hope to bring the Nations League back to Spain.”
Lamine Yamal sends message in regards to Ballon d’Or race
Many saw the Spain-France match as being decisive for the 2025 Ballon d’Or race, with Lamine Yamal going up against Ousmane Dembele – the two are projected to be the frontrunners for the award. And the teenager gave his thoughts on the subject after the win in Germany, which saw him take a step forward.
“I always tell my mother, what motivates me and what I get up for in the morning is to play football. The best thing is to talk on the pitch. Dembele is a great player, but we are in the final.”
Lamine Yamal would certainly be a deserved winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but whether this match had any bearing on how the voting will go remains to be seen. Ultimately, he and his Spain teammates will only be thinking about Sunday’s UEFA Nations League against Portugal, with the chance being there for a third trophy in three years.
The post “Talk on the pitch” – Lamine Yamal issues Ballon d’Or response after MVP performance appeared first on Football España.