Spain rallied from behind to defeat France 2-1 on Tuesday, with a record-breaking goal from teenager Lamine Yamal and a Dani Olmo effort propelling them to the Euro 2024 final. The 16-year-old Yamal equalized Randal Kolo Muani’s opener with an excellent sublime shot in the 21st minute, becoming the youngest scorer in a Euro or World Cup tournament, before Olmo scored another in the 25th minute for his third goal in the knockout stage.
The Spaniards, who have won every game in the tournament so far, reinforced their status as favorites with another exhibition of offensive football, particularly in the first half, a far cry from the tiki-taka passing game that brought them world and European titles more than a decade ago. Spain will now meet the winners of Wednesday’s encounter between England and the Netherlands in the final on July 14, Sunday in Berlin, where they want to earn a record-breaking fourth European title.
It was an anticlimactic end to France’s tournament. Still, the 2022 World Cup finalists never lived up to expectations in Germany, with a dismal conversion rate that carried over into the semifinals. Spain had an early opportunity when Yamal, the youngest player to appear in a World Cup or Euro semifinal, floated a cross to the far post, but Fabian Ruiz headed it over the bar.
France did better with an almost identical move in the ninth minute, with Kylian Mbappe, who was playing without a mask after fracturing his nose earlier in the competition, crossing for Kolo Muani to score their first goal from open play at Euro 2024.
However, despite losing suspended Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand, as well as injured Pedri, the Spaniards swiftly turned the game around. Yamal curled a magnificent left-footed attempt off the post from 25 meters out to break another record held by Brazilian legend Pele as the youngest scorer in a Euro or World Cup.
Before France had time to regroup, Olmo completed their lightning-quick comeback in the 25th with a shot from Jules Kounde. France, who had only conceded one goal in their previous five tournament games, increased the tempo after the interval, with chances for Mbappe and Theo Hernandez. But Les Bleus, who have struggled to score throughout the tournament, was unable to find an equalizer as Spain pulled back and expertly absorbed the pressure.
