Spain beat France in a nine-goal thriller in the second semi-final of the 2025 Nations League. As expected, fans from both ends and lovers of football were treated to an array of emotional razzle and a constellation of possibilities, as the game had everything but lacked boredom from start to finish.
As is often expected of key players to shine when needed, it was Lamine Yamal who came out on top. He put up another eye-catching display to propel his side into the final of the Nations League, with two goals to his name.
The Spaniards led the game 2–0 in the first half, and before the 58th minute of the encounter, they were 4–0 up with goals from Nico Williams, Mikel Merino, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal. The French side was awarded a questionable penalty, which Kylian Mbappé converted to give his team a glimmer of hope, only to see Lamine Yamal put another one past them to take them back to square one.
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Just when it looked like the game had run away from the French, they rallied and pulled three goals back, but it was too little, too late, as the game ended 5–4 in favour of the Spanish.
If goals scored add little when the criteria for winning the Ballon d’Or are being considered, then there might be nothing to stop Lamine Yamal from being crowned both the Best Player and Best Young Player of 2025, if Spain go on to lift the Nations League. After a consistently titillating display of genius on a weekly basis, there would be almost nothing standing in his way.
The final between Spain and Portugal will be played on Sunday, the 8th of June, at 8 p.m. at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, while France will take on Germany earlier that same day to decide who comes third in the Nations League.
