Germany midfielder Jamal Musiala has effusively praised 16-year-old Lamine Yamal ahead of the Euro 2024 hosts facing Spain in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Musiala and Yamal have been standout performers at Euro 2024, often outshining senior players.
With three goals to his name, 21-year-old Musiala is making waves in the race for the Golden Boot. Meanwhile, Yamal has proven himself indispensable for La Roja, demonstrating skills and contributions that make him a key player in their starting lineup.
Ahead of Friday’s quarter-final, Musiala sat down with Sky Sports and didn’t hesitate to praise Yamal for his performances at this summer’s European Championship.
“To be at this level at 16 is really amazing,” he said. “At 16, I didn’t have the physical prerequisites to train with the first-team. And he can consistently play and keep up at this level. That’s really cool to see.
“Spain have a lot of players who bring their value to the team and are dangerous. Whether it’s Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal, or Pedri, these are all players who can decide a game on their own. But, we have that too and that’s why we have to have confidence in ourselves.”
Musiala added: “It’s going to be a tough game. Both teams have the quality to make it to the final. We have to push each other and have confidence in ourselves that we can win this game. The fact that we have the tournament in Germany gives us additional strength. We feel the support. If we have the country behind us, a lot is possible.”
Germany and Spain have been the two best teams at the tournament so far. For many, this last eight tie is the real final, with the winner having a great chance of going all the way.
