Lamine Yamal To Face Off Against 'Legend' Cristiano Ronaldo For The 1st Time In Nations League Final
Spain starlet Lamine Yamal said Sunday's Nations League final against Portugal would give him the chance to "prove who I am" after helping his side past France in the semis on Thursday. Yamal scored twice and was named man of the match in a 5-4 win over the French in Stuttgart on Thursday, sealing progress to this weekend's Nations League final against their Iberian rivals. A late French flourish obscured Spain's dominance, with La Roja cruising at 5-1 before dropping their intensity, allowing France to score three late goals.
As they did on their way to winning Euro 2024 in Germany last season, Spain's success was built on the foundation of wingers Yamal and Nico Williams.
Williams, who got a goal of his own and set up another, was man of the match in the 2-1 Euro 2024 final win over England.
Thursday's victory puts 2021 Nations League winners against Portugal, who won the competition in 2019.
"It's a special game, a final against a great team gives us extra motivation," Yamal told reporters.
"This is the kind of game I want to play, to prove who I am."
Still just 17, Yamal will face off against Portugal veteran Cristiano Ronaldo, who is 23 years his senior.
"He's a football legend," Yamal said.
"I, like all the players, have huge respect for Cristiano.
"I will do my job, which is to try to win, and that's it," he added.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said fans would see "two super powerful teams" on Sunday, adding "this could be a World Cup final.
"We're playing against one of the greats: Cristiano Ronaldo. Just his name stands out -- I have limitless admiration for him.
"It's really great to see a player at his age to keep playing and be as fit as he is. I admire him very much."
Mikel Merino, another Spanish goalscorer on Thursday, was confident.
"It's not our first final," he said.
"Munich brings us amazing memories from the European Championship.
"I'm very happy to be in another final is a huge accomplishment and hopefully we can win it again."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bengaluru stampede: Open invitation without preparation is criminal negligence, says MP Tejasvi Surya
Bengaluru: Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya criticized the decision to hold an open invitation event at Chinnaswamy Stadium without logistical preparation as "criminal negligence" that culminated in the loss of 11 innocent lives. Drawing a comparison with the 2011 World Cup victory celebrations in Mumbai, Surya said despite the participation of over 15 lakh people there, no such tragedy occurred. That was because of better crowd management and planning in Mumbai, he pointed out. Surya lashed out at what he described as an "egotistical and irresponsible" attempt by the state's top leadership, including CM Siddaramiah and DCM DK Shivakumar, to get involved in RCB celebrations and "bask in undeserved glory". He alleged that despite being fully aware of the massive crowd that would gather for the event, the govt failed to make adequate safety arrangements. "It is not cricketers or fans who are to blame. The state govt, particularly the CM and DCM, orchestrated a scenario that led to this tragic stampede," Surya said. He urged the RCB franchise to show solidarity with its fanbase. "Even though there is no legal obligation, morally and humanely, the franchise should come forward to support and compensate the victims' families," Surya said.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Portugal Vs Spain Live Football Streaming For UEFA Nations League 2025: How To Watch POR Vs ESP Coverage On TV And Online
Last Updated: Check out the live streaming details for the Portugal vs Spain UEFA Nations League 2025 match to be played at the Allianz Arena in Germany. European champions Spain are set to face their neighbours, Portugal, in the Nations League final on Sunday, with both teams competing not only for the trophy but also for bragging rights. Having topped their respective groups, Spain and Portugal have experienced dramatic journeys through the knockout stages of the tournament. Portugal showed resilience in their quarter-final clash against Denmark, coming from behind three times over two legs to force extra time. They then scored twice in the additional 30 minutes to secure their spot in the semifinals. In the semis, Portugal again came from behind but managed to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo. Spain's route was even more thrilling. They drew both legs against the Netherlands, ending with a 5-5 aggregate score before clinching victory in a penalty shootout. In the semifinals against France, Spain built a commanding lead of 4-0 and then 5-1, only to face a late surge from France, which scored several goals to narrow the gap. The match ended 5-4, giving Spain a nail-biting win and a place in the final. POR vs ESP will be played on Sunday, June 8. POR vs ESP will be played at the Allianz Arena in Germany. POR vs ESP will start at 12:30 AM IST. POR vs ESP will be televised live in India on the Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD TV channels. How do I watch Portugal vs Spain UEFA Nations League 2025 match live streaming? POR vs ESP will be streamed live on the SonyLiv app in India. What are the Predicted Line-ups for Portugal vs Spain UEFA Nations League 2025 match live game? Spain XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Dean Huijsen, Robin Le Normand, Marc Cucurella; Fabian Ruiz, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Merino, Nico Williams; Mikel Oyarzabal First Published:
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Harry Kane's 2nd-Half Strike Helps Thomas Tuchel Create History As England Manager
Last Updated: The 1-0 win on Saturday helps Tuchel become first England manager to win his first three competitive games without conceding a goal. Harry Kane spared England's blushes with his second-half strike, securing a lackluster 1-0 win against minnows Andorra in Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Barcelona. Thomas Tuchel's side faced boos from England fans at the RCDE Stadium after struggling against a team ranked 173rd in the world. Kane's 72nd international goal saved England from the ultimate embarrassment of not beating such lowly opposition. Tuchel is the first England manager to win his first three competitive games without conceding a goal. However, given the weak opposition of Andorra, Latvia, and Albania in the Group K qualifiers, that achievement seems a bit hollow after this poor display. 'I'm not happy with the performance. We completely lost the momentum and couldn't get it back. We ended up in a place that was not good enough in terms of urgency," Tuchel said. 'We can just admit it that it's not what we expect from us. I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I didn't like the attitude we ended the game with. 'I didn't like the lack of urgency. It did not match the occasion. It is still a World Cup qualifier." Tuchel had warned that England's tired stars should not be expected to thrash Andorra after grueling domestic seasons. The German cited the motivational difficulties posed by the summer international break, just before nine of his players jet off to the Club World Cup in the United States. His fears proved accurate as England struggled to establish any rhythm in a dull match that felt like a pre-season friendly. It was a far cry from the thrilling drama produced by Spain and France in their recent Nations League semi-final, highlighting the task facing Tuchel as he builds up to the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel didn't help England's cause by fielding an experimental side. Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones started at right-back, and Chelsea right-back Reece James played at left-back. With Declan Rice rested, Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson, 34, made his first England start since 2023, becoming the Three Lions' oldest player since Frank Lampard 11 years ago. Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka was left out after only completing one training session this week, leaving Noni Madueke, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer to line up behind striker Harry Kane. Chelsea winger Madueke impressed, but Palmer and Rogers were underwhelming. Andorra hadn't scored an international goal for more than two years and quickly settled into a defensive formation that allowed England to dominate possession. As Tuchel had predicted, England found it difficult to break down a packed Andorra defense with nine men behind the ball at all times. Madueke's shot from the edge of the area was pushed away by Andorra keeper Iker Alvarez. Kane should have broken the deadlock with a close-range chance from Jones' cut-back, but the England captain prodded wastefully wide. Given Tuchel's desire to see his players perform in the warm Catalan temperatures ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, it was telling to see England struggle to find the energy and purpose needed to trouble Andorra. They moved the ball too slowly and were reduced to hopeful long-range efforts, with Jude Bellingham's 25-yard shot comfortably saved by Alvarez. England looked bereft of ideas, and the fans were beginning to grumble. Kane eased the mounting pressure when the Bayern Munich striker made the breakthrough five minutes after the interval. After Kane's initial shot was saved, Madueke alertly guided a low cross back into the six-yard box for the England captain to tap into the empty net. It was a modest way to reach a milestone for Kane, who has a remarkable 450 career goals for club and country in 697 games. England still couldn't find any momentum and were nearly punished in the closing stages when Guillaume Lopez's shot was blocked by Ezri Konsa. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Andorra England harry kane Thomas Tuchel Location : Barcelona, Spain First Published: June 08, 2025, 00:09 IST News sports » football Harry Kane's 2nd-Half Strike Helps Thomas Tuchel Create History As England Manager
