Lamine Yamal wondergoal sends Spain into Euro 2024 final

Of all the things Lamine Yamal has achieved before his 17th birthday, winning the European Championship will not be one of them.

But he might only have to wait until the day after it.

Yamal launched Spain's powerful comeback in Tuesday's Euro 2024 semifinal with a magnificent strike from outside the box, as his team surged into the final at the expense of France.

After 21 minutes and Spain trailing 1-0 to Randal Kolo Muani's eighth-minute header, Yamal, still 16 until Saturday, produced a moment that will long be remembered and replayed.

Collecting the ball from inside, Yamal took a touch, moved swiftly to his left, then drove his effort sweetly into the top corner of the France goal, leaving keeper Mike Maignan with no chance.

Spain will be a strong favorite when it takes on either England or the Netherlands with the trophy on the line in Berlin on Sunday.

It doesn't seem that long ago that Spain won this tournament in 2008, sparking off a glorious run that would see it also clinch the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euros. For the 2008 triumph, Yamal was still two weeks away from his first birthday.

Spain still needed more to get the job done, and got it from the excellent Dani Olmo, such a positive influence since Pedri went down injured in the quarterfinal and now sits top of the tournament's Golden Boot standings.

On 25 minutes, Olmo took a pair of brilliant touches in the box and raked a low drive across the face of goal. Defender Jules Kounde could do nothing to prevent himself from deflecting the ball into the net, and the goal was correctly awarded to Olmo.

Kylian Mbappé, playing without a mask for the first time since breaking his nose in France's first game of the tournament, made a strong start but was unable to