Adrien Rabiot's previous comments came back to haunt him. (Image: Getty)
Adrien Rabiot's comments about teenage sensation Lamine Yamal came back to haunt him during France's Euro 2024 clash with Spain.
Yamal provided one of the moments of the entire tournament when he found the net against France - a moment that didn't reflect well on Juventus midfielder Rabiot.
Speaking ahead of France's last-four clash with Spain, Rabiot said: "If Lamine Yamal wants to play in the Euro final with Spain, he will have to do much more against us than he has done so far.
“We will put pressure on him so that he is not comfortable.”
His comments aged terribly, as Yamal bamboozled Rabiot with a silky skill move, before curling home a left-footed strike during the first half of Tuesday's game.
Yamal had initially responded to the Rabiot criticism - albeit cryptically - by posting on Instagram: "Move in silence, only speak when it is time to say checkmate.”
But it was Yamal who had the last laugh in the individual battle, with the 16-year-old's equaliser making him the youngest-ever European Championship goalscorer.
As for Rabiot, his performance left plenty to be desired, with the one-time Manchester United transfer target hauled off midway through the second half as France exited the tournament following a 2-1 defeat.
Lamine Yamal scored a beauty during Spain's semi-final clash with France. (Image: Getty)
The evening had got off to a splendid start for Rabiot and his French team-mates, when Randal Kolo Muani nodded home Kylian Mbappe's cross to put Les Bleus 1-0 up.
However, moments after Yamal fired Spain level, La Roja found themselves ahead - this time Dani Olmo the architect behind another sumptuous goal.
The RB Leipzig man skipped past two French defenders, before firing - via an outstretched Joules Kounde leg - beyond a helpless Mike Maignan between the sticks.
It originally went down as an own-goal, but UEFA were quick to rectify that by awarding the effort to Olmo, meaning the 26-year-old moved joint top of the Golden Boot chart.
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It proved to be the winning goal, with Spain solidifying their backline in the second half and seeing out the game with a 2-1 win.
Dominating the ball in the second half, Spain registered over 60 per cent possession, while completing over 100 more passes than their opponents.
Whoever Luis de la Fuente's side face in Sunday's final, the three-time European champions will enter the clash as heavy favourites.
And a win against either the Netherlands or England will see La Roja establish themselves as the record holder for the most Euros wins.
