Manager Luis de la Fuente did not hold back in his admiration and for the teen sensation whose breathtaking talent had helped guide Spain to the brink of another trophy.
The reigning European champions had just come out on top 5-4 in a thrilling Uefa Nations League last-four win over World Cup runners-up France to set up Sunday's final against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
At the heart of that victory was Barcelona's 17-year-old winger Lamine Yamal who scored twice in Stuttgart, coming hot-on-the-heels of helping his club side regain the La Liga title from bitter rivals Real Madrid this season.
“He's the best player in the world,” insisted De la Fuente of Yamal, who was named best young player at Euro 2024 – which saw Spain beat England in the final – as well as being awarded the tournament's best goal.
That stunning strike, also against the French, saw Yamal become the youngest scorer in European Championship history at the age of 16 years 362 days.
And, according to De la Fuente, his double against the same opposition on Thursday should put him very much in the running for the ultimate individual footballing accolade, one that has been dominated by two of the all-time greats – Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – since 2008.
“Yamal has made a statement tonight and shown that he should win the Ballon d'Or,” said the Spanish coach after the match. And there will be few who argue with him.
Yamal's big rival for the award is former Barca boy Ousmane Dembele, who helped Paris Saint-Germain secure a historic treble following the French club's first ever Uefa Champions League title thanks to an unforgettable 5-0 drubbing of Inter Milan.
But it was the young pretender who outshone the 28-year-old France attacker Dembele at the MHP Arena in Germany.
“I always say the same thing to mum, that I try to give my all,” said Yamal, after a campaign that has seen his Barca team win La Liga, the Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup.
“That is what motivates me and what gets me up in the morning. It is why I play football. It's always best to speak on the pitch.
“Dembele is a great player, we saw that in the Champions League, but I am happy that we're the ones in the final.”
The plaudits keep on coming for the teenager who has just been named best La Liga Under-23 player of the season, with Barca's Brazilian attacker Raphinha taking the senior crown ahead of teammate Yamal and 31-goal Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe.
Yamal, who recently extended his contract to 2031 in a deal that includes a one billion Euro buyout clause, finished the La Liga season with nine goals and 13 assists in 35 matches. Across all competitions, those figures rose to 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 games.
It is remarkable to think that at such a tender age, Yamal has already broken the 100-game barrier for Barca, as well as winning 20 caps and scoring six goals for Spain.
Swiss research group CIES Football Observatory have recently calculated that Yamal – whose mother is from Equatorial Guinea and father Moroccan – commands the mind-boggling transfer value of €402.3 million.
That figure takes into account factors such as contract length, performance, age, popularity and club characteristics. The next highest values are that of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (€239.6m) and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham (€233.8).
“This extraordinary figure is linked to equally extraordinary performances achieved at an age – 18 in July – when most players, even the best, are just starting out at professional level,” the report said.
Like De la Fuente, club manager Hansi Flick is of no doubt about the “genius” talent he has at his disposal, while also making it clear that it will be down to Barcelona and the player himself to maintain his current trajectory
“Yes, he’s a genius. He’s only 17, and we have to help him,” the German coach said. “I hope he wants us to help him too, that we can take care of him, because he’s very young and everything seems so easy right now, but it isn’t.
“If you want to play at the highest level for the next 15 years, you have to train very well and be very mentally strong. Lamine is smart and intelligent; it’s good that he enjoys all this, but you also have to work and work. Talented players have to work too.”
Next up for Yamal is the match against Portugal at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena and the chance for major honour number six for club and country.
And ahead of the final, opposition attacker and veteran superstar Ronaldo had a salient message.
“Lamine Yamal is doing very well, taking advantage of his talent. Let the kid grow,” said the 40-year-old Al Nassr player. “Don't put too much pressure on him. Let him be and grow well, take the pressure off. He has no shortage of talent.”
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008
Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
LEADERBOARD
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Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
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'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
More on Quran memorisation:
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
