Spain and the Netherlands locked horns in a UEFA Nations League quarterfinal second leg thriller at the Mestalla Stadium last night, a rollercoaster encounter that saw Spain emerge victorious after a dramatic penalty shootout.
The 3-3 draw on the night meant a 5-5 aggregate score, but Spain held their nerve to secure a 5-4 win in the shootout, booking their place in the semifinals against France.
The match featured an early penalty for Spain converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, followed by a Memphis Depay spot-kick for the Netherlands.
Oyarzabal struck again for Spain, only for Ian Maatsen to equalize with a stunning strike.
Extra time saw young sensation Lamine Yamal curl in a beautiful goal to give Spain the lead once more, but a late penalty from Xavi Simons forced the game to be decided from 12 yards.
International G/A:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) March 23, 2025
12 — Lamine Yamal
11 — Vini Jr.
Yamal has 19 fewer caps. pic.twitter.com/18MqQmA8Qs
Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón proved the hero, saving Donyell Malen’s penalty, allowing Pedri to slot home the winning spot-kick.
However, beyond the thrilling goals and saves, a particular subplot involving Lamine Yamal and former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart has captured attention.
Leading up to the crucial match on Dutch television, Van der Vaart had been critical of the young Spanish winger’s demeanor during the first leg.
“I noticed some things about Lamine Yamal that started to annoy me,” Van der Vaart had stated.
“His shorts were too low, he didn’t try too hard, he had some superficial gestures… If you’re so young, you should be happy for every minute you play for Spain. You have to show it.”
Following his goal in the extra time, Yamal appeared to respond to Van der Vaart’s criticisms in a rather cheeky manner as he walked smugly along with Nico Williams and Mikel Merino.
During the goal celebration, the talented youngster was seen with his shorts worn significantly low, a style known as “sagging” where the trousers sit well below the waist.
To further emphasize his point, Yamal took to Instagram to share a picture of himself celebrating, accompanied by the caption: “Pants down, a goal, a missed penalty… AND IN THE SEMIFINALS HEHEHE! VAMOS SPAIN!“
The inclusion of “Pants down” certainly seems like a direct reference to Van der Vaart’s earlier comments about his low-riding shorts.
Despite his pre-game annoyance, Van der Vaart did acknowledge Yamal’s brilliance after the match, particularly his stunning extra-time goal.
“Lamine Yamal’s goal? Yeah, this is why he’s a top player. You play really poorly, but then that moment always comes—like, the control, fantastic. And then you just cut inside and score a beautiful goal.”
“If you’ve played against him for ninety—or well, a hundred and twenty minutes—so well, then at some point, you’re bound to lose him just once, of course.”
