Lamine Yamal shares secret behind girlfriend's World Cup dream

By reaching the World Cup final, Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal fulfilled a promise he made to his girlfriend, Inés García Santos, after Spain defeated their rivals, France, on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old superstar had been openly urged by García to do “whatever it took” to advance to the tournament’s final match. Lamine Yamal responded on the pitch with a brilliant performance that secured Spain’s victory over Les Bleus in the semifinals.

However, the mental battle started long before the opening whistle. Yamal took to social media to play some psychological games, sharing pictures on Instagram that reminded France of Spain’s thrilling 5-4 triumph in the UEFA Nations League semifinal, where Lamine Yamal scored twice under manager Luis de la Fuente.

It was a bold move. Had Spain lost, the social media post could have easily backfired on the teenager. Instead, it only highlighted the immense confidence he possessed heading into a match against a formidable French side. After all, he had extra motivation to make it to the final: his girlfriend had begged him to win so she could witness Justin Bieber perform live at the historic World Cup halftime show in New York.

Yamal’s impact on the game was immediate. He put French defender Lucas Digne under intense pressure inside the box, which ultimately led to Spain opening the scoring. Later, Mikel Oyarzabal converted a powerful penalty, leaving goalkeeper Mike Maignan with no chance of saving it.

With this victory, Spain is competing in a World Cup final for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2010. As La Roja chases its second star, the nation’s excitement continues to reach new heights. Meanwhile, by helping Spain return to football’s grandest stage, Yamal successfully delivered on his promise to Inés.