Euro 2024 quarter-finals kick off with the battle of the wonderkids Jamal Musiala, 21, and Lamine Yamal, 16, as Spain vs Germany sees teenager who brought his homework go up against England’s one who got away
One is still at boarding school and brought his homework to the European Championship, the other has only recently moved out of his mother’s house.
Lamine Yamal, 16, and Jamal Musiala, 21, are 37 years old between them. That is younger than the ages of their oldest national teammates – Manuel Neuer and Jesus Navas are both 38 – but they still likely hold the key to Spain and Germany’s chances of winning the tournament.
In the quarter-final on Friday, which many in Germany call ‘the real final of Euro 2024’, the two will face each other in the most important match of their young careers.
Musiala, who was nicknamed ‘Bambi’ for his remarkable dribbling ability, said before the tournament that he was no longer ‘Bambi’, saying he had grown too big and more than that.
This is his third major tournament, while Yamal is playing in his first. Last year, at 15, he became the youngest player ever for Spain. However, both teammates admit that they have something special when it comes to technical skills.
Spain take on Germany on Friday night, with both sides led by their own prodigy as Lamine Yamal (left), 16, and Jamal Musiala (right), 21, prepare for the clash in Stuttgart.
Yamal had brought his homework to Euro 2024 but he shone as part of an exciting Spain team
Musiala is the tournament’s top scorer, having already scored three times
When a clip of Musiala dribbling during a training session for the German Open went viral in March, the question was put to the returning Toni Kroos, who had just announced his international comeback.
“Even if I had never seen him (Musiala) before, that training session would have been enough for me,” Kroos admitted. “These exceptional players are meant to bring joy to the game. We have to put them in positions where they can bring joy,” Kroos added.
Similar things are being said in Spanish circles about Yamal, who joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia at the age of seven. “There are flashes of Messi,” said Xavi, who gave him his Barcelona debut. Messi himself has commented on “how easy” Yamal makes it look with the ball at his feet.
One of the most joyous moments of the tournament came when Yamal and Nico Williams (21) celebrated a goal against Georgia with a TikTok dance and then played rock, paper, scissors to determine who could drink water first.
“Their youth and innocence is infectious to us – the joy they radiate,” Rodri said afterwards.
Although Yamal has yet to score (he has two assists, no player has more) at the European Championship, Musiala shone on the opening night against Scotland at the tournament and is joint top scorer with three goals in four games for Germany.
It has been widely documented how his rise has been bittersweet for England fans and for Chelsea, who sold him to Bayern Munich for just £170,000 in 2019, but his current market value is estimated at over £100m, with Yamal having a release clause of over €1billion.
But perhaps the greatest praise for Yamal is the way he, along with Williams, has been lauded for their transformative influence on the Spanish side.
Musiala is the one who left for England after playing twice for their Under 21 team
Yamal is the youngest player ever to play at a European Championship and has been compared to Lionel Messi
“They changed the ‘tiki-taka’ style that we had for so long. It seemed like that was the only way Spain could play, but they changed that perception,” said Eduardo Castelao, editor-in-chief of El Mundo. “It’s a breath of fresh air after a long time.”
Insiders within the Spanish camp say that Yamal does not consider football matches a special occasion and that he approaches games ‘as if he were playing with his friends in the schoolyard.’
There is a striking similarity to the way Wayne Rooney shone at the 2004 European Championship as an 18-year-old, texting his friends after England’s match against France saying he had ‘given a panna’ to Zizou.
For Yamal, who is already the youngest player ever to play at the European Championship, Friday would be a great moment to become the youngest ever goalscorer and for the world to witness his celebration ritual of forming the number 304 with his fingers – the postcode of Rofaconda, the neighbourhood where he grew up and which is one of the most deprived in Spain.
When visitors arrive at Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, they are greeted by signs reading “The Birthplace of Jamal Musiala.”
Musiala described that opening night against Scotland as ‘the match of his life’.
A performance and a win in his hometown will top that, but even he admits Yamal’s journey is special.
“To be at this level at 16 is crazy,” Musiala said when asked about Yamal. “At 16, I didn’t have the physical requirements to train with the pros.”
At Barcelona’s home games you can already see a Yamal banner with the text ‘El futuro no espera’, which means ‘The future does not wait’.
Ilkay Gündoğan, the Germany captain who plays with Yamal at Barcelona, said his development is “unparalleled” and that he can make a “difference” for Spain.
Musiala moved from Chelsea to Bayern Munich in 2019 and is now worth over £100million
Yamal (left) and his teammate Nico Williams (right) have taken Spain to a new level
“For the neutral fan he is a joy to watch, but he is only 16. We will see how he reacts when things get tough,” said Julian Nagelsmann, when asked how Germany planned to stop Yamal.
“But my focus is less on Yamal and more on Jamal. We have enough of our own quality,” Nagelsmann added.
With Yamal on the right flank for Spain and Musiala on the left flank for Germany, Friday night promises to be an evening full of joy for football fans.
And regardless of who comes next, these two child prodigies, whose parents crossed the sea and borders to reach Europe, will continue to bring happiness to their countries for years to come.