Lamine Yamal inspires Spain to wild UEFA Nations League win vs. France: Highlights
Spain advanced to the UEFA Nations League final with a 5-4 win over France – nearly blowing a four-goal lead – to set up a showdown with Portugal on Sunday.
What looked to be a blowout got nervy in the final minutes.
Nico Williams scored the opener in the 22nd minute and Spain got another from Mikel Merino just three minutes later. Spain took that 2-0 lead to halftime and scored two more within the first 15 minutes of the second half – including a Lamine Yamal penalty – to make it 4-0. Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back for France in the 59th minute, but Yamal scored his second of the night in the 67th to restore the four-goal advantage.
But France scored in the 79th and 84th minutes to cut the deficit to 5-3. Randal Kolo Muani found the back of the net in the 93rd minute and then France pushed for an equalizer into the dying seconds of stoppage time – but ultimately came up short.
Spain, the defending European champions, will now face Portugal in Sunday's final at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Here's how the nine-goal thriller unfolded:
Kolo Muani goal! Spain 5, France 4
Randal Kolo Muani's goal in stoppage time cut France's deficit to 5-4 and will have a chance to tie things up in the final minutes. A stunning turn of events in Stuttgart!
France goal cuts lead to 5-3
France's third score of the night was an own-goal off Dani Vivian in the 84th minute, adding some late intrigue to a match that looked to be a blowout just a few minutes ago.
Rayan Cherki goal! Spain 5, France 2
A consolation goal to be sure, but France's Rayan Cherki scored an absolute stunner in the 79th minute of his senior international debut, volleying a laser past Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon from outside the penalty area.
The 21-year-old plays for French club Lyon.
Lamine Yamal goal! Spain up 5-1 after teen's second score
Lamine Yamal scored his second goal of the night in the 67th minute to extend Spain's lead to 5-1. The 17-year-old burst forward to get on the end of a pass and his toe-poke of a shot glanced off France goalkeeper Mike Maignan's hands en route to the back of the net.
Kylian Mbappe goal! France cuts lead to 4-1
Minutes after France fell into a four-goal hole, Kylian Mbappe was awarded a penalty and converted from the spot to cut his side's deficit to 4-1 in the 59th minute.
Pedri goal! Spain 4, France 0
A minute after Lamine Yamal made it 3-0, Pedri scored for Spain to extend the lead to four goals. It was the third international goal for the 22-year-old Barcelona midfielder.
Lamine Yamal goal! Spain 3, France 0 after penalty kick
Barcelona's 17-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal stepped up to convert a penalty kick in the 53rd minute, extending Spain's lead to 3-0 with his fifth international goal. Yamal had missed in the penalty shootout of Spain's win over the Netherlands in the Nations League quarterfinals.
Yamal also drew the penalty, going down on a tackle by Adrien Rabiot.
HALFTIME: Spain 2, France 0
Spain struck twice within three minutes and head into the break with a 2-0 advantage at the MHPArena in Stuttgart, Germany. Nico Williams scored the opener, with Mikel Merino following up in the 25th minute.
France had some clear opportunities in the first half but were unable to convert, now just 45 minutes away from being eliminated from the UEFA Nations League – a year after Spain won this matchup in the Euro 2024 semifinal.
Mikel Merino goal! Spain 2, France 0
Just three minutes after Spain's opener, Mikel Merino scored his country's second goal to double the advantage. Merino, a midfielder who spent the final months of the season playing striker for Arsenal, slotted calmly past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan after a nice pass from Mikel Oyarzabal, who already has two assists.
Nico Williams goal! Spain leads 1-0
Nico Williams smashed home the opener in the 22nd minute, assisted by Mikel Oyarzabal after Lamine Yamal's long run and cross got the ball to the penalty spot.
Theo Hernández hits crossbar for France
France left back Theo Hernández is pushing forward in the first 15 minutes, taking advantage of the matchup on Lamine Yamal. In the 12th minute, the AC Milan man fired a shot off from the top of the penalty area that skimmed the crossbar.
France vs. Spain Nations League semifinal underway
The highly-anticipated contest between France and Spain has kicked off at the MHPArena in Stuttgart, Germany, with the winner advancing to face Portugal on Sunday in the 2025 Nations League final.
Spain has enjoyed the majority of possession in the first 10 minutes and Nico Williams registered a shot on target, drawing a save from France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. France had a chance of its own in the sixth minute with Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe unable to combine to get the ball past Spain keeper Unai Simon.
Spain lineup today vs. France
Starting XI:
Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Le Normand, Huijsen, Cucurella; Zubimendi, Merino, Pedri; Nico Williams, Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal.
France lineup today vs. Spain
Starting XI:
Maignan; Kalulu, Konaté, Lenglet, Theo Hernández; Doué, Rabiot, Koné; Olise, Dembélé, Mbappé.
France vs. Spain Nations League odds
Odds via BetMGM as of 12:30 p.m. ET, June 5
Regular time result:
- Spain +130
- Draw +230
- France +210
To advance:
- Spain -150
- France +115
To win UEFA Nations League:
- Portugal +138
- Spain +175
- France +250
Lamine Yamal vs. Ousmane Dembélé for Ballon d’Or?
Spain's Lamine Yamal has said the Ballon d'Or award won't be decided by performances on Thursday when he and France's Ousmane Dembélé take part in the Nations League Final Four. Yamal and Dembélé have been crucial for club and country this season and the prestigious golden ball trophy could end up with one of them in September during the ceremony in Paris.
But the Barca star challenged a journalist who asked whether Thursday's clash would be decisive for the voting.
"If you had to give the Ballon d'Or, who would you give it to - the best player of the year or the one who wins on Thursday?" Yamal told Spanish broadcaster Cadena COPE on Monday.
"I'm confident we'll win on Thursday, but whether we win or not, I'd vote for the player of the year because if something happens to me or Dembélé on Thursday, who do you vote for? One who plays on Sunday?
"I would give it to the best player of the year, and I'd keep it for myself."
The competition is tough between the duo, with Dembélé winning a Ligue 1, French Cup and Champions League treble, while the 17-year-old Yamal won LaLiga, the Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup. Dembélé has scored 35 goals in all competitions for club and country this season, while Yamal has netted 19.
The nominees for the 2025 edition of the Ballon d'Or award, which covers August 1-July 31, will be announced at the start of August, with the ceremony taking place on September 22.
– Reuters
Cristiano Ronaldo sends Portugal back to Nations League final
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner as Portugal fought back to beat Germany 2-1 on Wednesday and reach the Nations League final.
Germany took the lead in the 48th minute, as Florian Wirtz headed in unmarked in the box, following a pinpoint lobbed pass from Joshua Kimmich.
However, Portugal turned the match around, first equalising through substitute Francisco Conceicao in the 63rd minute, before Ronaldo tapped in five minutes later to send the visitors into the final.
Spain and France will clash in the other semi-final on Thursday to decide who will face Portugal in the decider on Sunday.
– Reuters
Can France’s PSG players rally after Champions League party?
Didier Deschamps expects the PSG players to be ready after their Champions League success when France take on Spain in the Nations League semi-finals..
PSG secured their first Champions League trophy with Saturday's 5-0 hammering of Inter Milan, with France's Warren Zaire-Emery, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue, Lucas Hernandez and Ousmane Dembélé all involved for the winners. Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard also played for the losing side, and there has been little time to recover before Thursday's game in Stuttgart.
"They are here, so I am counting on them," Deschamps told reporters.
"I found them very happy on Monday evening, of course, with a certain fatigue as well. Then, there were Benjamin and Marcus on the other side. The feelings and emotions were not the same.
"Ideally, when there is a peak like that, of course, you always have to come back down, but now, we need to quickly get back up because the match is close."
– Reuters
France Nations League squad
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Benjamin Pavard (Inter), Theo Hernandez (Milan), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Loic Badé (Sevilla), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus), Clément Lenglet (Atlético Madrid), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)
Midfielders: Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Mattéo Guendouzi (Lazio), Manu Koné (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Marseille), Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG)
Forwards: Désiré Doué (PSG), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Randal Kolo Muani (Juventus), Michael Olise (Bayern), Marcus Thuram (Inter), Rayan Cherki (Lyon)
UEFA Nations League standings, bracket and schedule
Quarterfinals (March 20/23)
- Spain 5, Netherlands 5 (Spain advances on penalties)
- France 2, Croatia 2 (France advances on penalties)
- Portugal 5, Denmark 3 (extra time)
- Germany 5, Italy 4
Semifinals (June 4/5)
- Portugal 2, Germany 1
- France vs. Spain
Third-place game – June 8
- Germany vs. France/Spain loser
UEFA Nations League final – June 8
- Portugal vs. France/Spain winner
UEFA Nations League winners list
- 2018-19: Portugal (def. Netherlands in final)
- 2020-21: France (def. Spain in final)
- 2022-23: Spain (def. Croatia in final)