Spain reached the World Cup semifinals by beating Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals, and although he did not score, teenage star Lamine Yamal took the player-of-the-match award for a dazzling display. With France to come in the last four, the Spanish forward is already relishing the tie – and hopes to score against the French again, as he did at the Euros.
“That’s what I’m hoping for too. I’m really eager to score against France again,” Yamal told reporters. He scored a stunning goal against France in the Euro 2024 semifinal and wants to recreate that memory on the World Cup stage.
Still, the 19-year-old winger stressed team success over personal glory. “I’m very happy. All my focus is on the next match. We’re pleased to have reached the semifinal, and I felt great out there,” he said.
Yamal acknowledged France’s strength but believes Spain can get the result they want if they keep the ball and play their natural game. “They’re a team that will try to put us under pressure, though they can’t do it for the full 90 minutes. They’re very strong physically. Our aim will be to keep control of the ball. I believe everything will be fine. I’m fully ready and can’t wait for the match,” he said.
He created several chances against Belgium without scoring but said he had no regrets. “No, I’m not disappointed at all. As long as the team keeps advancing, I’m happy. At the end of the day, the most important thing is the team’s success.” He added that his physical condition was improving: “I feel very good. My performance gets better every week, and I go out with confidence.”
Spain and France meet in the World Cup semifinal in Dallas on Tuesday (1 a.m. Wednesday Bangladesh time), with Yamal waiting to leave his mark on the French once more.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report