European Football Championship - "Genius" Yamal celebrates European Championship history - "Baptized" by Messi
Super-Teenie Lamine Yamal presented after his career's biggest performance and entry into the EURO final, lovingly a fantastic photo of himself and Lionel Messi. The then 20-year-old Messi holds the swaddled baby Lamine carefully in one arm, in the other he bathes the surprised infant, while Mama Yamal looks on.
With "Reborn", meaning reborn, 16-year-old Yamal commented on the photo from 2007 after the 2:1 against France in Munich's night. The post of the prodigy was adorned with a goat emoji. The goat, English for Goat, stands for the "Greatest Of All Time", here Messi. Yamal added a star. For himself? "I'm just trying to have fun and help the team", he said after the semifinal coup.
Yamal's dream is also his mother's dream
The star of Yamal, who turns 17 years old at the Berlin Olympic Stadium the day before the final, shines brightly at the prestigious tournament like never before. "My mother has always said that her dream is for me to score a goal at the EURO", said Yamal, who was named player of the match. "I'm glad I could score my first goal against France in a semifinal."
On the long way to the prestigious tournament stage, it's quite strange that the later world footballer Messi came into contact with the possibly future world footballer Yamal in the context of a photo shoot for a charity calendar as early as 2007, and then so symbolically.
Striking Parallels
The parallels to Argentina's superstar Messi are so strong that a scriptwriter for the producer for a contrived story was criticized for it. Messi wore the number 19 at Barcelona back then, Yamal wears it in Spain's national team. Messi's glorious story with Barcelona is well-known, Yamal wants to - under former German national coach Hansi Flick - usher in a new era with the Catalans.
The only two players who had more than 15 chances, 15 shots, and 15 dribblings at the last two World or European championships are? Clear, Messi and Yamal. "Messi is uncomparable", said the German 2014 World Champion Christoph Kramer, "but Yamal is a madman of a player." His World Cup colleague Per Mertesacker evaluated Messi's baby photo on ZDF as a sacrament. "Baptized, not bathed."
German World Champion praises: Always a message
After the comeback through the former Frankfurt Randal Kolo Muani (9th minute), Yamal turned the game around with a dream goal (21st) and Dani Olmo (25th). Before the 2:1, Yamal created the space for Olmo with a pass. "I don't just find his tempo dribblings outstanding, but that he always finds the right pass at the right moment with the right precision", said Kramer. "He always sends a message with his pass."
Top - against Rabiot?
Messages Yamal also sends verbally. After his goal art in the arena, he joyfully fell to his knees towards the bench, his toothbrush shone in the spotlight. The audible message "Habla, habla" (talk and talk) was allegedly meant for the danced-out Adrien Rabiot.
"The one I spoke to knows that he meant it", answered Yamal pubescently. Rabiot had said before the game that they wanted to take Yamal out of his comfort zone.
"Despite his equalizing goal at just 16 years and 362 days, Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in tournament history. And that's not all. He is also younger than Brazil legend Pele's goalscoring record at the World Cup.
"Lamine, worldwide impact", titled the Spanish sports newspaper "Marca". A "historic Lamine Yamal" carried Spain, wrote the French daily "Le Figaro". Even National Coach Luis de la Fuente agreed with the massive praise. "One has seen the genius of a genius", said the 63-year-old.
Trainer's advice: "Stay humble"
The long-standing coach of the youth national teams warned in this glorious chapter of EM history, however, also for caution. "I would like to give him a piece of advice: That he remains humble and both feet on the ground and continues to improve", said de la Fuente.
He has a team with 26 "football geniuses", said the coach. "The team has a great future ahead of it.". Special praise also went to the Leipzig Olmo, who is increasingly showing himself as a mega transfer candidate, for example, to Yamal's FC Barcelona or Rodri's Manchester City.
A golden generation?
After Spain's all-conquering teams from 2008 to 2012 with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Leverkusen's current champion trainer Xabi Alonso, Yamal, Olmo and Nico Williams want to create a new era. "The golden generation had to first build the legacy", said team leader Rodri.
First things first, it's about the EM final. "My goal was to celebrate my birthday here in Germany", said Yamal, whose Barcelona contract runs until 2026 and reportedly includes a buyout clause of one billion euros. For the honorary day before the final, he has no grandiose wishes, at most: "Nothing, just win, win, win."
- Lamine Yamal celebrated his 17th birthday at the Olympic Stadium Berlin, the day before the EURO final, continuing to shine brighter than ever at the prestigious tournament.
- Adrien Rabiot, in anticipation of facing Yamal, mentioned his plan to disrupt the young star's comfort zone, but Yamal stayed focused, showing off his skill with a dream goal in the 21st minute.
- Messi and Yamal's paths crossed early on in their careers during a charity photo shoot for a calendar in 2007, foreshadowing the incredible parallels between the two.
- In the highly anticipated EURO final, France would face Spain in Munich, with Yamal and teammate Dani Olmo both looking forward to showcasing their talents on the world stage.
- Lionel Messi, now known as the GOAT, held a baby-Lamine in a touching photo from 2007, symbolically passing on his title to the potentially next big thing in soccer.
- In the semifinal match against France, newly turned 17-year-old Lamine Yamal played an instrumental role in Spain's victory, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead with a goal and an assist for Olmo.
- Christoph Kramer, a 2014 World Champion, marveled at Lamine Yamal's performances, highlighting his exceptional precision and ability to create impactful passes that transformed matches.
- Germany's football legend Per Mertesacker humorously posited that Messi had merely baptized his baby, rather than bathed him, in the beloved photograph.
- Following Germany's comeback through Randal Kolo Muani and Spain's subsequent 2-1 victory, Yamal and Olmo became the only two players to amass over 15 chances, shots, and dribblings in consecutive World or European championships.
- As the European Football Championship kicked off, excitement swelled around the young talent Lamine Yamal and Spain's promising generation of soccer stars, much like the previous golden generation with legends like Xavi, Iniesta, and Alonso.
