21 hours ago
16
Another day, another final. Another night to enjoy, and the promise that there may be many more to come. The European champions made their way to Munich where they will defend their Nations League title thanks to a 5-4 victory over France which left something more than just the result in Stuttgart.
It may not be so absurd to imagine that this Spain could match that one, although there are lessons to be learnt at the back. Just as it may not be so absurd to suggest that the 17-year-old in their team is not going to be the best, he already is. If this was an audition for the Ballon d’Or against Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé, as many said, the award is Lamine Yamal’s.
Nor is Lamine Yamal alone. He scored two, his every touch a threat, but by the time he had Spain had already scored twice, through Nico Williams and Mikel Merino. And between his brace, Pedri, a player who does everything with a kind of ethereal ease, added a lovely fourth. Spain weren’t alone either: France played their part in making this so good, racking up 24 of the 40 shots and making a match of this. Down 5-1 after 67 minutes, a belter from Ryan Cherki, an own goal from Dani Vivian and a Randal Kolo Muani header on 79, 84, and 93 minutes respectively contributed to a special and sometimes silly occasion, infusing it with a tension no one had anticipated 20 minutes earlier.
That said, this wasn’t just a late flurry from nowhere; it had been fun from the start, a game that was open and played at pace, the shot count rising almost as swiftly as the players were moving. Theo Hernández clipping the bar while Unai Simón and Mike Maignan both made saves, as if the teams were taking it in turns, before Spain took the lead on 22 minutes. They did so as France had begun briefly to assert themselves, the balance tilting their way, Désiré Doué and Adrien Rabiot both having decent shooting opportunities, and Pedri forced to shift deeper to wrest back some control.
The first prolonged passage of Spanish possession saw the ball worked to Lamine Yamal who played in a crisp pass to Mikel Oyarzabal on the edge of the six-yard box. Back to goal, he held off Ibrahima Konaté and neatly nudged it to his right where Williams smashed into the roof of the net. A superb second came three minutes later, beginning at Robin Le Normand’s feet. Again, Oyarzabal’s awareness and subtleness of touch was the pivot upon which it turned. Merino received, found Oyarzabal and spun; Oyarzabal returned it to him and he finished low into the net.
Spain’s lead was maintained by the strong hand of Simón, who saved from Doué, Mbappé and Dembélé. Then just before half-time it appeared to have been extended when a lovely free-kick routine, touched by Pedri, clipped in by Lamine Yamal and set up by Martin Zubimendi’s header ended with Dean Huijsen’s superb volley. The flag, though, was up. Almost immediately Dembélé escaped, only for his shot to be stopped by Simon.
On it went, two more French approaches within two minutes of the restart, low crosses flying through the six-yard box inviting a touch. On Spain went, too. And this is a such an incisive, such an inspired Spain, so quick to go for the throat, intent in everything they do. Williams robbed possession, sliding the pass into Lamine Yamal. Rabiot, who Lamine enjoyed silencing at last summer’s Euros, was invited in and his clumsy challenge left little doubt. Lamine gestured to the fans, then took the ball, and his moment, and rolled the penalty into the corner. Checkmate.
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Only it wasn’t. Spain weren’t stopping there, they were enjoying it too much. A gorgeous touch from Pedri saw him glide into space, exchange passes with Williams and lift over Maignan. The superiority was striking now, even if Mbappé did win – now there’s a euphemism – and score a penalty soon after, even if Dembélé hit the post. Because there was Lamine Yamal again, running on to Pedro Porro’s neat volleyed layoff, easing away from Clément Lenglet and poking past Maignan. Now that really was checkmate, or so it seemed.
Still France weren’t finished, still the scoring wasn’t either, providing a wild ending if not quite a comeback and it was Lamine Yamal flashing a smile at the end, braces sparkling in the light.
