Lamine Yamal says he ‘did his talking on the pitch’ following historic performance vs France | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal seems to have a knack for wagering his reputation before kick-off. His infamous stories on Instagram and coy digs at naysayers have become a staple of his personality.

But so far, the Spanish whizkid keeps cashing in with performances to match.

Walking the talk against France in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals, which ended in a dramatic 5-4 thriller, Yamal was once again the centre of attention.

He scored two goals and played a key role in Spain’s other goals despite not earning direct assists.

Settling the debate – Look who’s in the final

Much of the pre-match chatter centred on the showdown between Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal, two players touted as leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or.

True to form after the game, Yamal shrugged off the hype with a cheeky quip: “Yeah, Dembele is a great player, but we’re the ones in the final.”

Lamine Yamal scored two goals against France. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Following Spain’s victory, they now gear up to face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the finals.

Yamal was asked to give his two cents on his upcoming opponents, to which he once again gave a tongue-in-cheek response:

“We are two very good teams, with world-class players. But, well, I think the best will win and the best will take the cup to Spain,” he added as quoted by The Touchline.

Many have labelled Yamal’s comments as arrogant, but few can fault him as he consistently backs them up with masterclasses on the pitch.

The 17-year-old indirectly echoed that sentiment by claiming, “The important thing is to talk on the field,” something he has successfully done for most of his young career.

Yamal has a golden opportunity to strengthen his Ballon d’Or prospects in the finals, and once again, spectators would be eager if any memorable pre-match quotes make the headlines.