Barcelona’s rising star, Lamine Yamal, is making headlines again. On Thursday night, he gave another stunning performance that strengthens his case to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Yamal faced off against another top footballer, Ousmane Dembele, when Spain took on France in the Nations League semi-final. Both players were seen as favorites for the Ballon d’Or, but it was Yamal who stood out.

Spain got off to a strong start. Nico Williams opened the scoring, and Mikel Merino added a second goal in the first half, giving Spain a 2-0 lead before the break.

After halftime, Yamal earned a penalty when Adrien Rabiot fouled him. He calmly scored from the spot, making it 3-0 for Spain.

Shortly after, Pedri—Yamal’s teammate at Barcelona—scored another goal to put Spain ahead 4-0. Kylian Mbappe managed to pull one back for France with a penalty, bringing the score to 4-1.

But Spain wasn’t done yet. Yamal found the net again, scoring his second goal of the night and giving Spain a 5-1 lead. At that point, it looked like an easy win for the Spanish team.

However, France fought back. Rayan Cherki scored in the 79th minute, making it 5-2. Then, Spanish defender Dani Vivian accidentally scored an own goal, and Randal Kolo Muani added a header during stoppage time. Suddenly, it was 5-4, and the game got very tense.

Despite the late drama, Spain managed to hold on to their lead and secure a spot in the Nations League final. They’ll now face Portugal in Sunday’s final in Munich.

If Yamal helps Spain win the Nations League—adding to his La Liga and Copa del Rey titles—he could be in a strong position to claim the Ballon d’Or in 2025.