In Mataro, Lamine Yamal hailed as hero of Spain’s second star | OneFootball

Mataro saluted Lamine Yamal as its hometown hero as Spain secured a second World Cup star at Argentina’s expense in the final, even if the 19-year-old was not the matchwinner.

According to L'Équipe, thousands packed around the council’s giant screen in Parc Central. In the fifth minute Yamal’s first effort was clawed away by Emiliano Martinez. Outside, security began turning back latecomers, with only the first 10,000 admitted, and the crowd roared when Lisandro Martinez was booked on 41 minutes.

Extra time brought a Ferran Torres finish in the mould of Andrés Iniesta.

His image dominated the approach from Barcelona on an enormous roadside billboard, then across town on shirts around the screen and on a mural near Rocafonda, his childhood neighbourhood.

The town hall set up an improvised press room, and the Catalan-language public TV feed, launched in October, carried his appearance wearing a headband marked 304, Rocafonda’s postcode, to huge cheers.

Minutes before kick-off, Oscar Hernandez, the coach who picked him out for Barça, spoke of a special emotion. He recalled spotting Yamal at his club, signing him the following year for Barça and taking pride in helping him pursue his dream through years of hard work. Yamal was not the saviour, but Mataro still revelled in its heroes.

Source: L'Équipe