[Saba Sports News] Spain secured a commanding 2-0 victory over France in the World Cup semi-final to reach the World Cup final for only the second time in their history. Beyond Spain’s dominant collective display, teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal once again stole the spotlight. As his side booked their spot in the final, he hit another major career milestone by surpassing Kylian Mbappé. Statistics show the forward born in 2007 will be just 19 years and six days old when he steps onto the final pitch on July 19. This feat moves him ahead of Mbappé to become the third-youngest player ever to feature in a World Cup final, a ranking previously held by the Frenchman. Back in 2018, a 19-year-and-207-day-old Mbappé scored in the final against Croatia to help France lift the trophy. He later appeared in the 2022 final and harboured ambitions of competing for three consecutive World Cup titles. However, France’s semi-final exit this year saw his record overtaken by Yamal.
The editor believes that against France, Yamal once again demonstrated his pivotal role within Spain’s attacking system. His sharp movement inside the box drew a foul from the opposition, awarding Spain the penalty that opened the scoring.