Mumbai (Maharastra) [India], July 13 : Ahead of the UEFA Euros 2024 final between Spain and England, former India football skipper Baichung Bhutia heaped praise on young winger Lamine Yamal and spoke on his chances of winning Ballon d'Or in the future.
The 16-year-old's 25-yard stroke in the semi-finals against France made him the youngest player to score at a major tournament. Yamal, with his quick feet, cut the ball to his left and curled the ball into the top left corner, leaving French keeper Mike Maignan helpless. His efforts fanned the flames of hope inside the fan base and their camp.
"Yamal's got age in his side. He's just going to be 17 next month or so. I think for him, the future is very, very bright. He's one of the potential, not this time, but in future, I think we'll hear a lot of his name. And Ballon d'Or is something which I think he'll definitely be the frontrunner in years to come, if not this year," Baichung Bhutia told ANI.
Spain and England will lock horns against each other in the final of the ongoing UEFA Euro 2024 on Monday at the Olympiastadion Berlin Stadium in Germany. The fans can watch the final live on the Sony Sports Network.
Spain have been tipped as the favourite to lift the title. Under the reign of head coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain produced an eye-catching spectacle for the fans with their tiki-taka style of football during the passage play.
The Spanish side has shown fluency in their attack, with their creative forwards giving a tough time to the opposition. Youngsters Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have offered plenty of creativity on both flanks.
They have had the freedom to express themselves on the back of a strong defensive unit. Robin Le Normand and Aymeric Laporte hold the defensive line, and Rodri dropping in to provide additional cover has allowed Spain to put on strong defensive performances.
Spain's strong attack display has allowed them to rack up 13 goals effortlessly from a whopping 108 attempts en route to the final.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor