WHEN it was put to Didier Deschamps that watching the French team may be a bit boring, the coach had come up with a combative suggestion. "If you are bored, please change channels," he had said. "I don't have a problem." For people who went against the advice of the French coach on Tuesday night, they will have gone to sleep with one of the images of the European Championships. Lamine Yamal, who will continue to tick the box named 'minor' in every form for the next year, produced a goal worthy of winning any football match. In the process, Spain progressed to the final, 2-1 winners over Deschamps' 'sufferball'.
If France made their bed with 'sufferball', Spain have added a few grams of magic, lots of pace and given the keys to the future. Here's an example which best illustrates the diverging paths of both teams. While France didn't give a single minute to Warren Zaire Emery, an 18-year-old touted to be the future of French football, Spain made the likes of Yamal and Nico Williams, 21, crucial components of their puzzle.
There is no point in identifying players for the future and preserving them in some liquid if they are good enough to be the present. In Yamal, Spain saw their present. And he delivered with a goal for the ages.
Denne historien er fra July 11, 2024-utgaven av The Morning Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 11, 2024-utgaven av The Morning Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Trump's Attacker Had Planned To Recruit Afghans To Fight For Ukraine
Wesley Routh has criminal record, posted on politics, donated to Democratic party
Worst Typhoon In 75 Years Brings Shanghai To A Halt
BEBINCA, the strongest typhoon to have hit China's Shanghai city in 75 years, on Monday left a trail of destruction, bringing the megacity with a 25 million population to a grinding halt.
Shah Reaffirms Govt's Fight Against Terrorism
HOME Minister Amit Shah, while addressing poll rallies in Jammu on Monday, said the Assembly polls in J&K is a fight between those who abrogated Article 370 (BJP) and those who are claiming to bring it back (NC, PDP and Congress) and asserted that the Modi government will bury the terrorism so deep that it cannot rise again.
Returning Rishabh Under Spotlight
After missing out on Test cricket for almost two years, wicketkeeper-batter likely to make a return in the first Test vs Bangladesh
Nobel Laureate Slams UN For Silence, Inaction
JAILED Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi on Monday urged the international community to act to end the "oppression" of women in Iran, two years after the start of a women-led protest movement.
7 members enter race to become next IOC prez
THE International Olympic Committee published a list Monday of seven would-be candidates who are set to run for election in March to succeed outgoing president Thomas Bach for the next eight years.
City hearing a chance to clear name or taint their dominance
THE biggest challenge to Manchester City's Premier League dominance was due to start on Monday at a hearing into a slew alleged financial breaches.
ACT hockey: Harmanpreet's twin goals sink Korea; take India to final
SKIPPER Harmanpreet Singh's sublime form resulted in twin strikes as defending champions India entered the final of the Asian Champions Trophy with a clinical 4-1 win against South Korea in the semi-final here on Monday.
From tennis ball to pace sensation: Rana's journey
HE had not held a cricket ball in his hand until he turned 17 but only four years later Nahid Rana started hurrying world-class batters with his raw pace.
UNRAVELLING CHRONIC MIGRAINE IN TEENAGERS
DOES your teenage son or daughter often complain of persistent, throbbing headaches? Parents might easily attribute these headaches to stress, exhaustion, or lack of sleep.
