The young stars’ paths will rarely cross on the pitch. And their offensive game is also different from one another. Williams and Yamal are real wingers, with a lot of speed and a lot of trickiness. Musiala and Wirtz are more like number 10s who use their wit to dribble past their opponents and set up goals. All four youngsters have had their notable moments during the tournament, with Musiala standing out.
After his third goal of the tournament in the 2-0 win against Denmark, the Munich player’s words almost sounded like a threat to the competition. “I think I can play even better,” Musiala emphasized. This is already the third tournament for the Bayern professional. At his first, the 2021 European Championship, the son of a German and a Nigerian was 18 and his teammates called him “Bambi”. Musiala has now made 33 international appearances, eleven more than Wirtz. The Leverkusen double winner has recently seemed tired. He was given a break from the starting eleven in the round of 16 against Denmark. When he came in, he seemed fresher.
Reuters/Fabian Bimmer Yamal was in the Spanish starting eleven three times at this European Championship
What Barcelona teenager Yamal has shown in an adult tournament is the most astonishing thing so far. Technically, the son of an emigrant from Equatorial Guinea and a Moroccan, born near the capital of Catalonia, is a feast for the eyes. Physically, he can also keep up with his opponents. Comparisons were quickly drawn. Regarding the comparison with Barca icon Lional Messi, Yamal said on the radio station Onda Cero: “I’ve only just started. I hope that I will have half of his career.”
Age is not a big issue in football
Yamal’s direct opponent on Friday will probably be David Raum, who is ten years older. “In football, age is no longer a big issue,” said the Leipzig professional about the age difference. “The boy has been playing in the first team at FC Barcelona for some time. And he has now established himself in the national team. That’s why we no longer need to talk about a child.” One day before the European Championship final, Yamal will turn 17.
Williams’ roots also lie in Africa. His parents’ story began with their escape from Ghana. They fled, abandoned by people smugglers, through the Sahara to the Spanish exclave of Melilla. They were granted asylum after claiming to be from the civil war-torn country of Liberia. Nico and his older brother Inaki were eventually born in the Basque Country.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Joaquin Corchero Nico’s brother Inaki (l.) chose the Ghanaian national team
The 30-year-old is like a father figure to Nico Williams. Both matured into professionals at Athletic Bilbao. Williams only extended his contract with the traditional club in the winter, but there is said to be an exit clause of 60 million euros. Yamal has already expressed his desire to play together at Barcelona.
“They are players who make the difference, and there are fewer and fewer of them,” said Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal about his teammates. “They are very young players, with a lot of carefreeness. They don’t care who the opponent is. They always try to play in the same way.”
