Lamine Yamal is already looking ahead to the biggest match of his young soccer career after helping Spain defeat France 2-0 to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The Barcelona star celebrated the victory by sharing a clear message on Instagram, telling fans, “nuevayol vamos por ti (we’re coming for you)” a reference to Bad Bunny’s song “NUEVAYoL.” Spain will face Argentina on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as it seeks its first World Cup title since 2010.
Spain Celebrates Their First World Cup Final in Nearly Two Decades
Yamal celebrated his 19th birthday just one day before helping Spain eliminate France in Arlington, Texas.
The winger won a first-half penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal converted to give Spain an early lead. Pedro Porro added a second goal after halftime to secure the victory and send La Roja to its first World Cup final in 16 years.
Spain entered the semifinal unbeaten in the tournament. The Euro 2024 champions had won every match except for a scoreless draw against Cape Verde in their Group H opener.
After the victory, Dani Olmo expressed confidence that the team was always destined to reach the final.
“It was written,” Olmo said as players celebrated in the locker room. “We started [our World Cup journey] in Atlanta and we end up in New York. We’re close… let’s go for it!”
Goalkeeper Unai Simón admitted the magnitude of Spain’s achievement had not fully sunk in.
“None of us in the dressing room have realised yet what we’re achieving,” Simón said. “It will sink in as the days go by.”
Lamine Yamal Shares Heartwarming Celebration With His Little Brother
Following the final whistle, Yamal’s celebration quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
Postgame video shared by SportsCenter showed his 3-year-old half-brother, Keyne, running through the stands at Dallas Stadium before sprinting into Yamal’s arms.
The Spain star immediately picked him up and embraced him before the pair walked through the stands together while family members and supporters congratulated the team on advancing to the World Cup final.
The emotional moment continued a tradition that has followed Yamal throughout his rapid rise in international soccer.
According to The Athletic, Keyne is the son of Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana, who welcomed him in 2022 after her relationship with Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, ended when Yamal was a young child. Yamal also has a half-sister, Baraa.
Spain Captain Mikel Oyarzabal Eyes Historic World Cup Finish
Spain’s veteran leaders also looked ahead to Sunday’s opportunity to make history.
Oyarzabal’s successful penalty against France gave him five goals in the tournament, matching the single-World Cup scoring totals of Spain legends David Villa and Emiliano Butragueño.
The Real Sociedad captain said the team has earned its opportunity to compete for the championship.
“Hopefully we can put the icing on the cake in five days’ time,” Oyarzabal said. “We’ve earned the right to dream, to have the title in our sights.”
He also emphasized that contributing to a championship matters more than personal accolades.
“If I get the chance to help out [in the final] without scoring a goal, I’ll be just as happy.”
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