👀 Yamal breaks 100-year-old record, sends a message to Dembélé | OneFootball

Once again, it was a game in which one star outshone all the others. Around the semifinal between Spain and France, the discussion wasn’t just about who would advance to the final, but also about who would win the Ballon d'Or. Lamine Yamal or Ousmane Dembélé?

"I’m not thinking about winning the Ballon d'Or. I just want to have fun, play well, and if the Ballon d'Or comes, then so be it," the Barça youngster told 'Radio COPE' before the match. He proved once again during the semifinal that he enjoys himself on the pitch, and in the process, he broke a record that had stood for 100 years.

Against Spain, Yamal scored a brace and, at 17 years and 327 days old, is now the youngest player ever to score twice in a match for the Spanish national team. Previously, this record belonged to Juan Errazquin, who was 18 years and 344 days old when he scored his brace. That was back in 1925.

You can watch Yamal’s goals again here.

After the 5:4 win against France, it was no surprise that he was named "Player of the Match." And it was hardly unexpected that the Ballon d'Or came up again during his on-field interview.

"I always told my mother that I would give everything," Yamal said at the start, adding, "That’s why I get up every morning, that’s my motivation to play football. Dembélé is a world-class player, you can see that in the Champions League. But today, we’re in the final."

Spain’s national coach is also convinced of the young star’s quality. "Lamine Yamal made a statement tonight and showed that he should win the Ballon d'Or," said Luis de la Fuente after the match.

In the Nations League final, Spain will now face Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. For France and Dembélé, it’s the third-place match against Germany.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 FRANCK FIFE - AFP or licensors