A tear in the universe opened up at the Allianz Arena last night.
An extraordinary space, invisible to the other 21 players on the pitch, including France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and the 75,000 fans in the stands, suddenly materialized. When it did, Pedri, sitting on the Spanish bench, brought his clasped hands from his neck to his face, frightened by what he had just witnessed. Frightened by the portal to a new dimension his teammate, Lamine Yamal, cut into with his left foot. This was the portal to a Euros final, a glimpse into Yamal’s immense potential.

As the ball traveled, curving from outside to inside the far post, time seemed to stand still. Yamal was only 13 during the last Euros, watching Spain bow out in the semi-finals to Italy at a shopping center with his friends. Dani Olmo, the standout player in that game, missed a crucial penalty in the shootout. But in Munich, Yamal showed that an alternative reality was possible.
Olmo scored the winner against France, a goal that was exquisite in its dexterity and elusiveness, affirming Spanish technical supremacy. Playing with the confidence of someone who has scored in three consecutive games, Olmo’s performance left France in a state of disbelief and disorientation.
Four minutes earlier, Yamal had equalized France’s opener. Until then, it seemed like it might be Kylian Mbappe’s night. Mbappe, discarding his protective mask like a gladiator throwing away a shield, was on a mission. His vision unimpeded, he even assisted Randal Kolo Muani, who had missed crucial chances in the past, to finally score.

This tournament had shown no one comes back against France. Maignan, who had conceded only a penalty against Robert Lewandowski, was expected to be impenetrable. Beating him required something truly extraordinary. “We were in a difficult moment,” Yamal acknowledged. “Nobody expected to concede a goal so early.”
When a Fabian Ruiz roulette ended in a tangle 30 yards from goal, Yamal collected the loose ball, determined to dampen the enthusiasm behind the French goal. “I picked up the ball and didn’t think about it, I tried to put it where it went, and I’m just very happy,” he said.
Facing him was France’s giraffe-like midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who had earlier commented on Yamal’s ability to handle pressure. “We know what he is made of, but it can be difficult to deal with a semi-final in a big tournament,” Rabiot had said. Yamal responded with a post on Instagram: “Move in silence. Only speak when it’s time to say ‘checkmate’.” And Yamal let his left foot do the talking.

In the 21st minute, Yamal performed a breathtaking move, deceiving Rabiot with his left foot before nudging the ball inside and shooting. Maignan, despite his best efforts, couldn’t stop the ball. Yamal’s strike was out of this world. “Talk!” Yamal shouted at Rabiot. All the Frenchman’s talk had been cheap; Yamal’s strike was priceless. “We saw a touch of genius,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said.
Perfection is often said to be unattainable, but Yamal’s shot challenged that notion. “His shot was magnifique,” praised Didier Deschamps. At 16 years and 362 days, Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in Euros history. Turning 17 on the eve of the final, he said, “The only gift I want is to win, win, win. Celebrating my birthday here in Germany with the team is all I need.” He even told his mother she didn’t need to buy him a present if they won the final.
Yamal’s celebration, a euphoric slide towards the Spanish bench, evoked memories of a similar goal he scored against Mallorca. But this was more significant, for the occasion and for making Mbappe puff his cheeks in awe. “I don’t know if it’s the best goal of the tournament,” Yamal said. “But it’s the most special for me.”
While Yamal’s goal will be analyzed for its brilliance, Rodri expanded on his overall performance. “People will remember the game for his goal, but I thanked him for his defensive commitment. The recoveries, the tracking back, helping the full-back. It’s been outstanding for a guy his age,” Rodri said.

At the end of the game, the Spanish players celebrated reaching the final, huddled together and jumping up and down. Yamal, initially standing apart, seemed like a star from a galaxy far, far away, shining brightly on the grand stage.