Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a Nations League final with Portugal.
Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defence to ribbons.
Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2024 champions.
Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal.
France’s three late goals — a Rayan Cherki screamer, a Spain own goal and a stoppage time strike from Randal Kolo Muani — were not enough.
Yamal, still just 17, said Spain “deserved to win.”
“It was a great game — at the end it was a little too close, but we played very well,” he added.
Spain held on to book an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Munich, while France will face hosts Germany in Stuttgart for the bronze medal, earlier in the day.
A smiling goal scorer Merino told DAZN: “It was a crazy game. Not the best game for the coaches — nobody wants to concede so many goals — but an amazing game for the fans.
“We’re going to remember this one for a long time.”
Returning to Germany where they won the European Championship in dominant fashion a year ago, Spain seem an even more complete team, despite their late fadeout.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
