Spain vs France highlights and report: Yamal sparkles as La Roja edge nine-goal semi-final thriller

Spain will play Portugal in the 2025 UEFA Nations League final after an enthralling 5-4 triumph against France in the second semi-final in Stuttgart – the highest-scoring match in the competition's history.

Match in brief: Spain prove the more clinical

A pulsating end-to-end start only heightened the atmosphere surrounding another meeting of these European giants. Kylian Mbappé and Nico Williams, twice, made sure each goalkeeper was active early on while Theo Hernández struck the bar from the edge of the area as the last two winners of this competition tried to assert themselves.

Nico Williams celebrates scoring the opening goal for SpainAFP via Getty Images

It was third time lucky for Williams in the 22nd minute though, as he hammered in from close range after Mikel Oyarzabal held off his marker and prodded into the Athletic Club man's path.

Oyarzabal was equally impactful three minutes later as his delightful clipped return pass over the France defence allowed Mikel Merino, who scored a last-gasp winner against Germany in this stadium to put Spain in the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-finals, to run clear and slide his finish past Maignan.

Mikel Merino wheels away after making it 2-0 to SpainGetty Images

Désiré Doué and, on two occasions, Ousmane Dembélé – both fresh from UEFA Champions League glory with Paris Saint-Germain – tested Unai Simón in response, though Didier Deschamps' men were being consistently tormented by the outrageous talents of Lamine Yamal in the other direction.

The 17-year-old would be rewarded shortly after half-time, drawing a foul from Adrien Rabiot in the box and nervelessly converting the resulting penalty, before Pedri galloped on to Williams' pass and nonchalantly dispatched number four a minute later.

Pedri enjoys his goal with fellow scorer Lamine YamalUEFA via Getty Images

A glimmer of hope for France came when Kylian Mbappé ended a run of seven international matches without a goal when he was fouled by Pedro Porro and swept in the penalty himself but their injury-hit defence was breached once again by Yamal's poked finish.

Les Bleus refused to go out meekly, however, debutant Rayan Cherki scoring a stunning effort from 20 minutes during a lively cameo and fellow substitute Malo Gusto providing a teasing cross that Daniel Vivian could only turn into his own net.

Cherki then crossed for Randal Kolo Muani to head in Les Bleus' fourth in added time but Luis de la Fuente's men held on to advance to a record third Nations League final.

Player of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Spain)

"He scored two goals, but more important was that he was a constant threat in attack, playing with unbelievable maturity for his age."
UEFA Technical Observer Group

Graham Hunter, Spain reporter

For the neutral, this was pure gold. Entertainment without end. Thrills, magic, ambition, atmosphere and another Nations League classic. Spain, if truth be told, were faulty and didn't hit their best. But they hit five. That, however, is 11 conceded in four matches. That'll have to change but, frankly, Yamal! An utterly astonishing footballer. That's the message.

Alex Clementson, France reporter

A chastening night for France, who were enterprising and inventive on the ball but had no way back once Spain managed to gain a foothold in the tie. France will lament some of their luck, the ball bouncing favourably for Spain on multiple occasions, but a lack of concentration and decisive decision-making defensively cost Les Bleus. Sunday's third-place play-off against Germany will provide them with an opportunity to put things right.

Rayan Cherki scores a wonderful goal for France on his debutAFP via Getty Images

Reaction

Luis de la Fuente, Spain coach: "I'm happy. I enjoy suffering! I don't understand sport without suffering. When two great teams face off like today, it's normal every team makes the most of their moments. We need to learn from every game and see the game in a positive light."

Lamine Yamal, Player of the Match: "When two great teams like this play, you sometimes see a lot of goals. They will make you suffer until the end but we went to the final despite the mistakes we made. We were aware of what we wanted to do. We wanted to make history. The greatest thing when you are winning is to keep winning."

Pedri, Spain midfielder, speaking to UEFA: "The most important thing is winning and reaching the next match, the final. But of course, conceding those goals means we need to improve, to control the match better in the final minutes and not suffer so much."

Didier Deschamps, France coach: "It's a mixed bag because there were lots of good things to take away. We were in control in the first 20 minutes, but when you concede five goals, you didn't do things right. Our opponents were more efficient. We had two spells of ten minutes where they were better."

Kylian Mbappé, France captain: "We had some bursts of play we haven't had for a long time. But in just ten minutes of the first half, we conceded two goals – and the same thing happened in the second half."

Rayan Cherki, France forward: "It was a complicated game and I don't think we were totally undeserving [of more]. They were just better at scoring when they needed to. When you look at the statistics, it was one of our best matches. We should have focused more on [capitalising on] our strong moments."

Key stats

• Spain have reached a third successive Nations League final.
• La Roja are unbeaten in their last 12 Nations League matches (W8 D4).
• Les Bleus have lost eight of their last 12 games against Spain (W3).
• This was the highest-scoring Nations League match of all time.
• This was the first time France conceded five in a game since a 5-0 defeat to England in 1969.

Line-ups

Spain: Unai Simón; Porro, Le Normand (Vivian 77), Huijsen, Cucurella; Merino (Gavi 90+1), Zubimendi, Pedri (Fabián Ruiz 64); Yamal, Oyarzabal (Samu 77), Williams (Olmo 64)

France: Maignan; Kalulu (Gusto 63), Konaté, Lenglet (L Hernández 72), T Hernández; Koné, Rabiot; Dembélé (Kolo Muani 76), Olise (Cherki 64), Doué (Barcola 63); Mbappé

What happens next?

UEFA via Getty Images

Spain will play the Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final in Munich at 21:00 CET on Sunday 8 June.

France will play Germany in the third-place play-off in Stuttgart at 15:00 CET on the same day.