Duo has an average age of 19.5 years and has been directly involved in eight goals in the competition; attackers have families of African descent
July 14
2024
– 19h01
(updated at 7:06 pm)
From Lamine Yamal to Nico Williams. The goal that started Spain’s fourth victory in the European Championships – a 2-1 victory over England – is a symbol of the diversification and resistance of the children of immigrants in the country. The youngest player in the history of the European Championships and the Basque Country’s top scorer, respectively, are pillars of a young, in-the-making squad who are leading the team to become the biggest winners in the competition’s history.
One day (and six years) separate the birthdays of Nico Williams and Yamal – July 12 and 13, respectively. They are two young, talented people who play, have fun, and dance on the field. In the Euro Cup, they eliminated France (world champion in 2018), Germany (host), Croatia (2018 world cup runner-up) and now England, Euro 2020 runner-up.
Yamal was named the best young player in the tournament. He broke Pelé’s record in 1958 as the youngest athlete to compete in a World Cup or European Championship final. Not only that, during the Euros, before the round of 16 against Georgia, he had completed the fourth year of Spanish secondary school – equivalent to the third year of high school in Brazil. In the final, Williams’ assist made him the athlete with the most assists in the Eurocup edition.
Together, the duo have a direct hand in eight goals in this edition of the European Championship. Spain, with 15, has the best attack in the competition. When they were celebrating their birthdays, they were unanimous in their wish for a gift: “to beat England on Sunday”. After all, they have their own destiny at their fingertips – and feet.
Immigrant origin
Morocco, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana. The Yamal and Williams families found a way to rebuild their lives in Spain and Europe. Williams is the brother of fellow player Iñaki Williams, the Athletic Bilbao striker; unlike the European champion, he chose to defend Ghana.
Iñaki and Nico’s parents crossed the Sahara desert and crossed the Spanish border to build a new life on the Old Continent. With the Basque Country as his home, Nico chose to defend Spain, as well as Athletic Bilbao – a club that only signs players with ties to the territory seeking independence from Spain. Nico Williams joins Oyarzabal as the reference from the Basque Country that gave Spain the title.
Destined for greatness it is the same as Yamal. The Barcelona striker was 16 when he became the youngest player to score in a European Championship. But in 2007, when he was still a newborn, he was “blessed” and “blessed” by Lionel Messi, then Barcelona’s prospect. At the time, the Argentine was only 20 years old and was taking part in a charity campaign run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
“It’s a life coincidence or a blessing”, said Moroccan Mounir Nasraoui, Yamal’s father. “For me, my son is the best. In everything. Not only in football, but in love, in people, in everything.” Love for people is one of Yamal’s personality traits: in the victory over France, he showed, with his hands, the number “304?. It refers to the postal code of the Rocafonda neighborhood, in the city of Mataró, where Yamal and his part the family lived.
The neighborhood is a region inhabited by immigrant families, mainly African, victims of racism and prejudice. Nasraoui was even caught in a fight with supporters of a far-right party.