STUTTGART: Teen sensations Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams lit up Stuttgart as Spain edged France 5-4 in a dramatic UEFA Nations League semi-final on Thursday, booking a spot in the final against Portugal.
Yamal, recently crowned La Liga’s Best Under-23 Player, netted twice, while Williams added a goal and an assist in a dazzling display that overwhelmed a shaky French defense.
Mikel Merino and Pedri also found the net for the reigning Euro 2024 champions, who led 5-1 before a late French surge threatened to spoil the party.
Kylian Mbappe converted a second-half penalty to give France hope, but despite three late goals — including a thunderous strike from debutant Rayan Cherki, an own goal by Spain’s Daniel Vivian, and a stoppage-time header from Randal Kolo Muani — the comeback fell short.
Yamal, just 17, summed it up post-match: “It was a great game — at the end it was a little too close, but we played very well. We deserved to win.”
Spain now prepare for an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Sunday in Munich. France will face tournament hosts Germany earlier the same day in Stuttgart in the third-place playoff.
Goalscorer Merino told DAZN: “It was a crazy game. Maybe not the best for the coaches — no one wants to concede so many — but it was incredible for the fans. We’ll remember this one for a long time.”
Back in Germany, where they won the Euros last year, Spain looked even more complete — despite easing off late on.
France manager Didier Deschamps called it “a mixed bag.”
“Not everything was bad… but I’m certainly not leaving with a smile,” he admitted.
France started brighter, focusing their attack through Ousmane Dembele rather than Mbappe. Dembele, fresh off a Champions League win with PSG, created early chances, including one where Mbappe opted to pass instead of shoot in a one-on-one.
Theo Hernandez nearly put France ahead soon after with a long-range strike that skimmed the crossbar.
But Spain made their chances count. In the 22nd minute, Williams and Oyarzabal — both scorers in last year’s Euro final — linked up. After a bursting run down the right, Yamal fed Oyarzabal, who shielded the ball before laying it off to Williams. The winger smashed it into the top corner.
Three minutes later, Oyarzabal lobbed a clever pass into the box for Merino, who controlled and finished powerfully past Mike Maignan to make it 2-0.
France had their chances, with Dembele repeatedly finding space but shooting straight at Unai Simon. Just before halftime, Spain were denied a stunning third by the tightest of offside calls in a well-worked free-kick routine involving Yamal, Zubimendi, and Huijsen.
The second half followed a similar pattern. After France missed two early chances, Spain struck twice in quick succession.
In the 54th minute, Yamal won a penalty and confidently converted it. Moments later, Williams set up Pedri to make it 4-0.
Mbappe pulled one back with a penalty of his own in the 59th minute, but Yamal’s second goal — Spain’s fifth — restored the cushion.
Spain made several substitutions with Sunday in mind, which allowed France to mount a late rally. Cherki scored a spectacular debut goal from distance, and an own goal by Vivian gave Les Bleus a glimmer of hope. Kolo Muani’s header deep into stoppage time made it 5-4, but Spain held firm.
