Fans Demand Ballon d’Or for Lamine Yamal After Spain Defeats France in Nations League

• Lamine Yamal put on a superlative performance as Spain edged out France in a pulsating nine-goal thriller
• The Barcelona teen sensation scored twice as La Roja booked a place in the Nations League final on Sunday
• Some fans have demanded the 2025 Ballon d'Or Award be handed to Yamal after his showstopping display

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Spain’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, lit up the UEFA Nations League semi-final with another resounding performance against France last night (June 5).

The 17-year-old stepped up on the continental stage, guiding his side to a 5-4 victory and earning a ticket to the final against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Spain strikes first in Nations League semi

The early moments of the semi-final at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart on Thursday night belonged to the French, who looked sharp and aggressive.

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Theo Hernandez came close to opening the scoring, only to be denied by the crossbar. That near miss seemed to jolt the Spanish side into life.

It did not take long for the breakthrough. In the 22nd minute, Mikel Oyarzabal combined beautifully with Nico Williams to open the scoring.

Just three minutes later, Oyarzabal proved himself a skilled play-maker, setting up Mikel Merino to double La Roja's lead, as reported by UEFA.

Spain thought they had a third goal when Dean Huijsen found the back of the net, but the VAR intervened and chalked it off for offside.

Lamine Yamal shines in Nations League semi

While relatively quiet in the first half, Yamal burst into life after the break, tormenting France's backline with his pace and footwork.

His persistence paid off when he earned and then converted a penalty, making it three for Spain, as has been widely shared footage on X.

The momentum didn’t stop there. Pedri, his club teammate, added another with a silky finish that capped off a lovely sequence of passes.

At that point, France looked all but buried. Kylian Mbappe reduced the deficit with a spotkick of his own, but the hope was short-lived.

Yamal returned to apply the finishing touch, restoring Spain’s commanding lead, with the French desperate as time wound down.

Rayan Cherki managed to find the net, and a freak own goal from Dani Vivian made things a little nervy for the Spanish side later on.

Randal Kolo Muani then scored France's fourth of the night in stoppage time, but Spain still saw out the win despite the late drama.

The final whistle confirmed a 5-4 result and a place in Sunday’s final against Portugal, with France set to face Germany for third place.

Fans want Ballon d’Or for Lamine Yamal

After the game, social media exploded with praise for the teenage maestro. Fans didn’t hold back in calling for Yamal to be named the best in the world.

@CFCMods stated:

"How do you watch Lamine Yamal with your eyes and not conclude that this is obviously the best footballer in the world right now?"

@GumaLeander demanded:

"Give him the Ballon D'Or."

@Anesu_EmmanueI commented:

"We are tired; give him the Ballon d'Or already!"

@Ukashahhh praised Yamal:

"He is a gem 💎"

@AkhandBharatHQ summed up:

"Lamine Yamal 💙❤️🔥🫶 he deserves Ballon d'Or."

Yamal responds to Ballon d'Or speculation

YEN.com.gh also reported that Yamal talked Ballon d'Or amid fan speculation about his chances of winning football's most coveted award.

With 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 games, he helped Barcelona win the domestic treble and is ranked as a favourite for a major prize this year.

Placed alongside Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele, Yamal gave a cool response when asked if he could claim the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

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Source: YEN.com.gh