LAMINE YAMAL won the Battle of the Ballon d’Or as Spain sneaked into the Nations League final after a nine-goal thriller against France.
All eyes in Stuttgart were on the mouthwatering duel between La Roja sensation Yamal, 17, and Les Bleus star Ousmane Dembele, 28.
Both are in with a shout of winning the Ballon d’Or in three months time with 51 club goals in all competitions between them for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain this term.
Yet it was the Barca teenage superstar who grabbed the headlines with a stunning second-half double – now with 48 goal contributions in 57 games for club and country this campaign – alongside impressive strikes from Nico Williams, Mikel Merino and Pedri.
Kylian Mbappe netted a 59th-minute spot-kick and a late comeback looked on the cards thanks to debutant Rayan Cherki’s 79th-minute attempt, an 84th-minute Daniel Vivian own goal and Randal Kolo Muani’s injury-time header.
But Spain held on, facing Portugal in Munich on Sunday – their third Nations League final on the spin – and sets up a clash between Yamal and Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time.
It also extends their unbeaten competitive run to 24 games, last losing in March 2023 – their longest streak for 15 years, back when they were world champions.
France, meanwhile, were woeful, despite a fine attacking quartet of PSG Champions League-winning pair Dembele and Desire Doue alongside Real Madrid’s Mbappe and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.
Both Yamal and Dembele were lively early on before Williams stung the roof of the net in the 22nd minute from a cute pass by Mikel Oyarzabal.
Three minutes later, Oyarzabal was at the heart of things again as a one-two put Arsenal’s Merino through and he slotted past Chelsea target Mike Maignan.
It could have been 3-0 before the break but for Dean Huijsen’s volley being ruled out for offside.
Yamal added the third in the 54th minute, hauled down by Adrien Rabiot in the box.
Another Barca starlet Pedri, 22, made it four less than a minute later with a dink over Maignan as Didier Deschamps’ men crumbled.
Mbappe converted from the spot in the 59th minute following a tangle with Tottenham’s Pedro Porro, but it was short-lived thanks to a world-class finish from a tight angle by Yamal in the 67th minute – his sixth goal in 20 Spain caps.
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