Adrien Rabiot ate his pre-match remarks during Spain’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory against France – and it seems Lamine Yamal issued a clear message to the French midfielder at full-time.
After equalising for Luis de la Fuente’s team with an amazing range attempt, the 16-year-old forward became the youngest scorer in European Championship history on Tuesday night.
Barcelona’s teenage sensation, who also broke the record for the youngest player to have appeared at a Euros after taking to the field against Croatia, at 16 years and 339 days, has had an unforgettable summer.
But France midfielder Adrien Rabiot was far from friendly about his tournament before of Tuesday’s meeting at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
“Lamine Yamal will have to do much more against us than he has done thus if he wants to play in the Euro final with Spain,” Rabiot remarked in his pre-match press conference. “We will press him so that he is uncomfortable not at ease.”
Lamal seemed to reply to Rabiot with a personal Instagram message. On his story, he said, “Move in silence.” “Only speak when it comes time to say checkmate.”
And hours later, the young man let his feet tell the story as Spain reserved their spot in the Euro 2024 final with a 2-1 victory over France.
Actually, soon after the last whistle, the TV cameras sped over to a happy Yamal, who seemed to be conveying another message to Rabiot as he celebrated the win. He gleamed, “Speak now, speak now!”
Lamal’s post-match activities were responded to by social media followers here.
One claimed: “Rabiot said Lamine Yamal needed to doore than he’s done lately before Spain v France. “Speak now, speak now,” he remarked following defeating France. Cold here.
One more said: “This has been the tournament of wonderkids showing they have balls of steel and I am absolute here for it.”
A third remarked: “Rabiot claimed a sixteen-year-old had to get on. Furthermore he did. At sixteen, he stood up when his nation needed him. Sixteen years old. Did we mention his sixteen years? sixteen?”
“Lamal is my player of the tournament,” a fourth added.
Image credit: X/@ Fabrizio Romano
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente underlined before their tournament opening that Yamal has to be shielded from criticism.
“For younger players, the psychological element is more crucial than the tactical one,” he remarked.
“In the case of Lamine, he is a player who is touched by a magic wand and we have to support him since he will be praised and criticised fiercely.”
The young player has been exceptional at Euro 2024; former Spain international Fernando Llorente thinks he might go on and surpass everything else.
He remarked, speaking with Sky Sport Italia, “Not even Messi was at this level at that age.” Lamine Yamal does some remarkable stuff. Nobody can really be compared to him.