Spain starlet Lamine Yamal is a ‘genius’, says coach Luis de la Fuente

MUNICH – Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said seeing 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal’s performance against France in their 2-1 Euro 2024 semi-final triumph on July 9 was like watching “a genius”.

Yamal scored a brilliant goal to cancel out Randal Kolo Muani’s opener for Les Bleus, with Dani Olmo then netting what proved to be the winner for La Roja.

Named Player of the Match, Yamal became the youngest player to score at a European Championship or World Cup, breaking Pele’s record by eight months.

“We have seen a genius, the product of a genius. He’s a player we have to take care of – I have to advise him to keep working with the same humility and keep his feet on the floor,” de la Fuente said.

“He would keep growing but this maturity and attitude at such a young age is like that of a more experienced player. We are lucky he is Spanish and we can enjoy him for many more years.”

Midfielder Rodri added: “I’m very proud of Lamine, people will talk about the goal, the stellar display of this 16-year-old kid, the future awaiting him is huge. But I congratulated him for his defensive commitment, such a complete game, constantly helping out.”

The winger’s game is bright but not excessive, with his tricks designed to open up space for himself rather than to show off. He largely makes sensible decisions, but also fires up the crowd with show-stopping dribbles.

For his stunning goal, Yamal’s tricky footwork and agility helped him lose France midfielder Adrien Rabiot and earned him the space to curl a shot past Mike Maignan from outside the penalty box.

The youngster nearly got another in similar fashion in the second half, shaking free of Theo Hernandez and whipping narrowly over.

The combination of his skills and sensibility is similar to a player he looked up to as a child, former Barcelona great Lionel Messi.

Last week, a photo emerged of the Argentina attacker bathing a baby Yamal, as part of a charity calendar Barcelona players were pictured in, back in 2007.

“The beginning of two legends,” wrote Yamal’s father Mounir Nasraoui on Instagram, sharing the photo.

Spain’s 38-year-old right-back Jesus Navas, who started against France, is older than Nasraoui.

Yamal became the competition’s youngest player in Spain’s first match against Croatia and also provided three assists on his team’s run to the final.

“I’m really happy for the victory and for getting to the final. I don’t know if it’s the best goal of the tournament, but it’s the most special for me because getting to a final with the national team in the Euro is something super special for me,” he said.

With his creativity, pace and panache, Yamal has glittered as part of a Spain side who have won all their six matches, also a milestone, at Euro 2024. They are now within reach of a record-breaking fourth Euro title.

Spain will face England or the Netherlands in the Berlin final on July 14, a day after Yamal’s 17th birthday.

The only gift Yamal wanted, he said, was “just to win, win, win”.

He added: “My objective was to be able to celebrate my birthday here in Germany. And I am very happy to celebrate it here with the team... I told my mum she does not need to buy me any present if we manage to win the final.”

His goal and the win over France were the perfect reply to an earlier remark by Rabiot, who had said the Barcelona player would have to do much more against Les Bleus if he wanted to play in the final.

Rabiot had said in the build-up: “It could be difficult for him to deal with a semi-final in a big tournament. It’s up to us to put pressure on him and to take him out of his comfort zone.

“And to reach a final at the Euro, he needs to do more than he’s done up until now.”

Yamal during the match ran to a television camera yelling “speak now, speak now”.

He was asked who he was talking to, but declined to say.

“The person I’m talking about, this person will know,” he said.
AFP, REUTERS