Appie Culé

@Sirobama56 😂

@appiecule You are always taking your time

I’m going to take my time with this one. If you’re busy, save this post and read it later. If you’re a night owl like me, this is a good late-night read. In Euro 2024, before France faced Spain, Rabiot said that Lamine Yamal would have to do far more than he had done in his short career if he wanted to prove himself. Lamine’s response? He posted an Instagram story saying: “Move in silence. Let your actions do the talking.” He could have ignored the comments—he’s not the type of player who gets rattled easily—but he chose to do it on purpose. The exact same scenario happened again today. French players claimed that Spain—and Lamine in particular—would face a much tougher challenge than before. Once again, Lamine posted an Instagram story. Once again, against the same opponent. At Euro 2024, Didier Deschamps assigned Rabiot to shadow him throughout the first half, with Theo Hernández creating constant 2v1 situations against him. Today, Deschamps repeated the exact same plan against the exact same player—but this time he added another midfielder to follow Lamine’s every movement. So what did Lamine do? He moved them out of position. He didn’t try to be the hero or attack every space himself. Instead, he became the one directing Spain’s attacks, exploiting the very side of the pitch where all the defensive attention was focused on him. That’s not just impressive—it’s terrifying. It’s the kind of responsibility that would keep many players awake all night, especially against a team as physically and tactically dominant as France. What’s even more incredible is that he woke up and chose to put that pressure on himself. He enjoys it. He deliberately embraces challenges because his confidence tells him he’ll come out on top. What kind of mentality is that? How do you even describe the personality of someone who handles all of this at just 19 years old? Honestly, it would be extraordinary even if he were 25. The best thing about Lamine is that moments like the Rabiot incident—or deliberately putting himself under pressure today—would make most young players obsessed with proving themselves individually. They’d forget about the team and focus only on personal glory. Lamine did the opposite. He orchestrated every phase of Spain’s play. And remember, this is a Luis de la Fuente team—a highly systematic coach whose structure rarely allows one player to dominate individually. He led Spain’s progression, drove the ball into attacking areas, and handled second balls around France’s defensive block. That’s incredibly difficult against a midfield featuring Tchouaméni and others, with Koundé constantly stepping inside to crowd him whenever he received the ball. Lamine became Spain’s reference point in every zone of the pitch. He would receive the ball, attract the full-back on his own—without needing a teammate to drag him away—and then rely on his pace and dribbling to beat one, two, even three defenders. Behind him was a full-back with limited attacking freedom, and the rest weren’t tasked with supporting him offensively. He was, quite literally, Spain’s main outlet for everything. Lamine has reached a frightening level of maturity. He’s a player who enjoys pressure without ever becoming consumed by it. He doesn’t get carried away by expectations—he invites them. He’s still just a teenager, yet he knows exactly when to embrace pressure and when not to. The future belongs to him. This kid has the potential to become not just one of football’s greatest players, but one of the greatest athletes any sport has ever produced. That’s where I expect to see him.

Let’s not let the joy of winning make us forget that there are actually people on this planet who compared Raúl Asencio and Dean Huijsen to a player like Pau Cubarsí. One year later, while Cubarsí is making history, Asencio and Huijsen are watching it unfold from behind their screens, applauding the historic achievements of the one they were once compared to.

France finished the game with an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.3 — their lowest xG in a World Cup game since Opta began collecting data in 1966. The problem isn’t just the manager. If you’re being objective, you have to give the opposition the credit they deserve. In this particular game, I don’t think any manager other than Jürgen Klopp or José Mourinho (during his Chelsea or Inter years) would have found a way to deal with this Spain side. ⛔️

If Cubarsí doesn’t win the Best Young Player award at this World Cup, then football has once again failed to give defenders the recognition they deserve. I don’t want to get carried away, but if there were ever a Ballon d’Or exclusively for defenders, Cubarsí would be my first choice. Cu… Cu… Cubarsí. La Masia’s gem has been the best defender at this World Cup, and by a comfortable margin. The future greatest defender in Spain’s history is under construction, God willing. And I haven’t forgotten those who mocked me last season when I praised him. I kept saying his mistakes were a consequence of Hansi Flick’s defensive system, not a reflection of his ability.

@Goonies_FC Always that someone who ruin the mood

@appiecule Would’ve been iconic, but it didn't actually happen! That was Keyne during the Belgium game

I swear, I can’t get over this moment. It has to go down as one of the iconic moments of this World Cup. Right after Spain scored their first goal, the cameras cut to a young French fan in the stands, crying. Then, seconds later, they switched to Lamine Yamal’s little brother, who looked up at the giant screen and stuck his tongue out at him. I told you—this kid is secretly a 60-year-old man disguised as a child. There’s no way those are the acts of an innocent kid. 😭😂

“In this game, put Mbappé, Dembélé, Barcola, and Olise together in a blender… then throw them away, my friend. Because you have Olmo. You have Dani Olmo. I’m fascinated by intelligent footballers—players who don’t overcomplicate the game. Smooth, simple, yet devastating football. A player who can be a No. 10, an No. 8, or even a 9.5. He creates, delivers key passes, knows exactly when to keep the ball, and always puts his team in a better position. The same player who was the key to Spain’s European Championship triumph has now carried his country into the World Cup final, after giving the French a masterclass in how football is meant to be played.” 👏🏻

One day, Paris made Lamine Yamal cry. So he decided to make an entire nation of France cry forever. ❤️🇪🇸

Since yesterday, I’ve had only one feeling. If Spain reached the final, Argentina would follow them. If Spain had been eliminated, Argentina would join them in the third-place playoff. There won’t be a half-finished celebration or an incomplete joy. Either there is no joy at all—which now feels impossible—or there is a perfect ending. That’s what my heart is telling me. ❤️🇪🇸🇦🇷

A week ago, Lamine Yamal sent their greatest legend, Cristiano Ronaldo, home in tears without the one trophy he wanted most—the World Cup. Today, he sent home their last hope too. The player Madrid fans wanted to win the Golden Boot ahead of Messi. One by one. Lamine Yamal is already writing a legendary story. 🌟

Lamine ends the comparison for the fourth time in a row. Olise completely disappeared in his first big game today. He kept losing possession, failed to complete a single dribble, while Lamine, as always in every big game, was the one who stole the spotlight, delivered the best performance, and showed no signs of being affected by the pressure. Please stop comparing him to players like these. It has been a one-sided comparison from the very beginning.

Every great player seems to have that one rival who becomes their nightmare—the one who always stands in the way of success. For Mbappé, that nightmare has been Lamine Yamal. In 11 meetings, Lamine has come out on top 9 times. He’s beaten Mbappé with both club and country, knocked him out of the Euros, and now out of the World Cup—all before turning 19. The irony? Just yesterday, Lamine said, “We’re not scared of France. They should be scared of us.” And he backed up every single word. 🥶

The art of scoring useless goals 🔥

- Trophyless season with Real Madrid. - Trophyless season with France.

Nothing changed.

What Spain did to France today was the literal definition of dominance. France never really got into the game, and that’s because Spain completely dictated the tempo. They slowed the game down, controlled possession, and relied on their incredible collective structure from start to finish. As a result, France’s individual stars never had the fast-paced game they thrive in. Add Spain’s huge advantage in midfield, and it became a one-sided contest controlled almost entirely by Spain. They beat France in the Euro semifinal, the UEFA Nations League semifinal, and now the World Cup semifinal. Spain have officially become France’s biggest nightmare. Spain are deservedly through to the World Cup final, proving once again that they are the finest footballing school in the world. 👑❤️

Dani Olmo is the definition of football IQ. France are full of world-class players, yet he made the game look easy. What makes him special isn’t just his quality on the ball—it’s what he does without it. Olmo doesn’t play a position; he plays a role. Every movement is designed to manipulate defenders, create overloads, and open spaces for his teammates. Sometimes he touches the ball for only a few seconds, yet he completely changes the game through his off-ball movement. The more defenders focus on him, the more dangerous he becomes. One of the smartest footballers in the world.

Mbappé. Olise. Dembélé. Cherki. Doué. It doesn’t matter who you put in front of Pau Cubarsí. He pockets them all. Spain have conceded just one goal with Cubarsí on the pitch this tournament, and that’s no coincidence. His anticipation, positioning, and ability to control the defensive line are on another level. Bring Mbappé. Bring Haaland. Bring any world-class striker. The result is usually the same: Cubarsí drops another defensive masterclass, puts them in his pocket, goes home, and gets ready to do his homework. He’s only 19 years old. The best defender in the world.

Messi doesn’t come twice for his victims. You’re not worthy of a rematch. He sent Lamine Yamal as his heir. Consider that his regards. 🇪🇸🇦🇷