Spain triumphed over France with a thrilling 5-4 victory in the UEFA Nations League 2025 semi-final on Thursday night, June 5, at the Stuttgart Arena in Germany. This win propels La Roja into the final against Portugal, who had secured their place by defeating Germany 2-1 on Wednesday, June 4. The match was a rollercoaster, with standout performances from Spain's young talents Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.

France showed early attacking intent. In the 12th minute, Theo Hernandez struck the crossbar following a well-executed corner. Ousmane Dembele, fresh from Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph, was also active, creating an early chance for Kylian Mbappe, which the Real Madrid star failed to convert. However, Spain weathered the initial pressure and soon began to impose themselves.

Nico Williams opened the scoring for Spain in the 22nd minute. Lamine Yamal initiated the move, finding Mikel Oyarzabal in the box, who then set up Williams for his sixth international goal, a sharp left-footed shot past French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Just three minutes later, Mikel Merino extended Spain's lead, finishing smartly after another clever flick from Oyarzabal, making it 2-0.

France sought an immediate response. PSG youngster Desire Doue tested Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón with a powerful shot from the edge of the box in the 31st minute, which Simón saved. Lamine Yamal received a yellow card in the 34th minute for a challenge on Doue. Before halftime, Spain had a potential third goal by Dean Huijsen disallowed due to a narrow offside following a rehearsed free-kick routine involving Yamal and Martin Zubimendi.

The second half began with a quickfire double from Spain. In the 54th minute, Lamine Yamal won and converted a penalty, sending Maignan the wrong way after being fouled in the box by Adrien Rabiot. A minute later, Pedri made it 4-0 for Spain, clinically finishing a pass from Nico Williams, seemingly putting the game beyond France's reach.

France, however, showed resilience. Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the 59th minute to make it 4-1, after he was brought down by Pedro Porro. Despite this, Lamine Yamal struck again for Spain around the 69th minute, dribbling past Clement Lenglet and poking the ball beyond Maignan to restore Spain's commanding lead at 5-1.

As Spain made substitutions, appearing to look ahead to the final, France launched a spirited late comeback. With about ten minutes remaining (around the 79th minute), French debutant Rayan Cherki scored a stunning long-range volley. In the 84th minute, Spanish defender Dani Vivian inadvertently directed Malo Gusto’s low cross into his own net, reducing the deficit to 5-3. The pressure mounted when Randal Kolo Muani headed home powerfully from Cherki’s cross in stoppage time, making the score 5-4. Despite the tense final moments, Spain held on to secure their place in the final.

After the match, Lamine Yamal, who scored a brace and played a pivotal role, stated, "It was a great game — at the end it was a little too close, but we played very well. We deserved to win." Mikel Merino described it as "a crazy game... Not the best game for the coaches — nobody wants to concede so many goals — but an amazing game for the fans. We’re going to remember this one for a long time." Spain, the Euro 2024 champions, showcased their continued strength and depth, returning to Germany where they had achieved continental glory a year prior.

Lamine Yamal's exceptional performance significantly fueled discussions about his prospects for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. The 17-year-old Barcelona winger, who won the LaLiga title and Copa del Rey with his club, drew comparisons with Ousmane Dembele, another contender who won the UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1, and Coupe de France with Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking post-match about Dembele, Yamal commented, "The best thing is to talk on the pitch. Dembele is a great player, but we [Spain] are in the [Nations League] final."

Spain will now face Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday in Munich. France will compete against hosts Germany for the bronze medal in Stuttgart earlier the same day.