Lamine Yamal delivered a standout performance with two goals as Spain defeated France 5-4 in a breathtaking UEFA Nations League semi-final at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
The young Barcelona star converted a penalty in the 54th minute and added another goal in the 67th, helping Spain build what seemed like an insurmountable 5-1 lead before a late French surge nearly forced extra time.
"We showed our attacking quality today, but we need to manage games better when we're ahead," a Spanish team source might say after such a nail-biting finish.
The match was electric from the start. Nico Williams opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, followed quickly by Mikel Merino adding a second just three minutes later. Both goals came from assists by the versatile Mikel Oyarzabal, who excelled in multiple attacking roles throughout the contest.
After halftime, Spain shifted into another gear. Yamal converted from the spot after Adrien Rabiot's rash challenge, before Pedri made it 4-1 just two minutes later with a well-placed shot after impressive buildup play.
Kylian Mbappe briefly responded for France, converting a penalty of his own in the 59th minute, but Yamal's second goal seemed to put the game beyond doubt at 5-1.
However, France had other ideas. Substitute Rayan Cherki made an immediate impact on his national team debut, scoring a spectacular volley in the 79th minute that suggested Manchester City's reported €40 million valuation might be too low.
The comeback gained momentum when Cherki's cross forced Vivian into scoring an own goal in the 84th minute, followed by another Cherki assist for Randal Kolo Muani in stoppage time to make it 5-4.
By the way, Michael Oliver's final whistle couldn't come soon enough for the Spanish supporters as their team barely held on to secure their place in the final.
Spain will now face Portugal in the Nations League final on June 8 at 22:00, while France will meet tournament hosts Germany in the third-place playoff earlier the same day.
Can Spain maintain their attacking flair while tightening up defensively against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal? Sunday's final should provide the answer.
