Spanish press hails Lamine Yamal as undisputed Ballon d'Or candidate

At the National Stadium in Zagreb the 19‑year‑old winger Lamine Yamal made his Ballon d’Or‑candidate shine once again, when he scored a goal and provided an assist in a 4‑1 Nations League‑match win over Croatia, leading the Spanish team to a comfortable victory.

Spanish press hails Yamal as Ballon d’Or‑favorite

The Spanish newspapers were lyrical after Yamal’s impressive performance; Mundo wrote: ‘This is Spain of Lamine Yamal’ and praised him as the undisputed star of the team. SPORT added that he brings the magic that makes Spain unbeatable.

El País emphasized that Spain is a complete and joyful team, but that it is driven by a genius called Lamine Yamal, a star that shines brighter than ever. It concluded: ‘Matches start and end with Lamine’ and declared that he is crucial for Spain and unstoppable for any opponent.

Yamal’s impact in the Nations League‑match

After seventy minutes it was already on target for Yamal, who was the final stop of an attack in which Croatia had not even touched the ball, after which he scored the first goal. Later he provided an assist and himself worked the third goal against the ropes, raising the tension in the stadium.

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The crowd shift followed immediately; the Spanish supporters cheered when Yamal again found the ball in the net, while the Croatians were visibly impressed by his speed and insight.

After the match Yamal remained calm and said: ‘I don’t play for a Ballon d’Or. I play for myself, for the fans, for the rest of the season, for the national team and to keep winning.’

The overwhelming praise from the media underscores why he is seen by both this and other newspapers as an absolute top candidate for the Ballon d’Or, and confirms his status as an indispensable player in the Nations League‑match and beyond.