It was the Lamine Yamal Euro 2024 semi-final.

He is only 16 years and 362 days old and wears braces, but the teenager delivered a monster performance to help steer Spain to the final of Euro 2024 in Munich yesterday.

There is a banner of Yamal at Barcelona home games that states “El futuro nos espera” which means “Future awaits.”

Yamal was every bit the future as his wonder goal helped knock out early tournament favourites France.

Kylian Mbappe, having finally taken his mask off, will not be showing his face in Berlin on Sunday.

A superstar is born

Yamal fired an incredible long-range thunderbolt from outside the penalty area to equalise after France’s early opener from Randal Kolo Muani.

It was an intense moment, but one he handled easily, showing no signs of nerves in the build-up to goal.

When people look back on this sensational goal that was followed by Dani Olmo’s strike four minutes and nine seconds later, they will remember the day a boy tore apart one of the best teams in the world.

It will be replayed and talked about for decades just like Paul Gascoigne’s individual run and finish at Euro 1996, and Marco van Basten’s angled volley at Euro 1988.

Having already lit the tournament, Yamal has now elevated it.

His stunning rocket sparked Spain’s 2-1 comeback against France, with pundits saying it was both genius in the manner of the strike and in how he delivered something spectacular when his team really needed it.

Former England forward Chris Sutton commented: “Such a lovely left foot, he must be 30 yards out and he has no right to score from there – gets his head up and bends the ball in off the far post.

“It is brilliant, an incredible strike from the young man. You shouldn’t be doing that when you’re 16 – it’s outrageous.”

“A superstar is born,” said former England striker Gary Lineker. “It was the moment of the match, possibly the moment of the tournament.”

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said: “He looks like a much more experienced player and we all need to take care of him. I would like him to work with the same humility and keep his feet on the ground.

“We count on him and hopefully we can enjoy him for years to come.”

Teenage record-breaker

Yamal became the first 16-year-old to score a European Championship goal. He could become the first 17-year-old to ever do it in a final because it’s his birthday on Saturday.

With his goal, the winger broke a 20-year record: at Euro 2004, then 18-year-old Johan Vonlanthen scored for Switzerland against France, four days after England’s Wayne Rooney set a record by scoring against Switzerland.

At 16, he’s the youngest player and goalscorer at the Euros and for Spain. Before making his Euros debut, he was the youngest goalscorer in La Liga having become Barcelona’s youngest player at 15.

The teenager arrived at the Euros after a breakthrough season with Barcelona and continued his impressive performances throughout the tournament, but his goal against France was his biggest moment yet.

If this is to be Spain’s first men’s trophy since the glory era of 2008-2012, there couldn’t be a better signal of a new era than Yamal or the other menacing striker Nico Williams, 21.

Billion-dollar kid

Lamine Yamal joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia at the age of seven and is still in boarding school. He took his homework to the Euros.

Meanwhile, he has a release clause in excess of a billion euros.

“There are flashes of Messi,” said Xavi, who gave Yamal his Barcelona debut. Messi himself has commented on “how easy” Yamal makes it look with the ball at his feet.

One year ago Yamal was playing in the quarter-finals of the U17 European Championships in front of only a few hundred supporters.

He skipped past defenders for fun, recording an assist and scoring once in Spain’s 3-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.

He was one of the youngest players at the competition but finished as the joint top scorer despite Spain crashing out to France in the semi-final.

Against France yesterday, he revelled with his boyish smile, revealing braces, providing a captivating show that captured the imagination of the football world.

Yamal’s celebration ritual involves using his fingers to form the number 304, the postcode for Rofaconda, the neighbourhood where he was raised, which is one of the most deprived in Spain.

One of the most joyous sights of the tournament was seeing Yamal and Nico Williams, 21, celebrate a goal against Georgia with a TikTok dance and then play rock, paper, scissors to determine who could drink water first.

Their joyful approach to the game will almost certainly illuminate the final when Spain will face either England or the Netherlands.

“Their youth and innocence is contagious for us – that joy they give out,” said Spain midfielder Rodri.

Perhaps the highest praise for Yamal is how he and Williams have been credited for their marked influence on the Spanish side.