‘Pants down, goal scored’ – Lamine Yamal fires back at Van der Vaart after Nations League heroics

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal has made headlines following Spain’s thrilling 3-3 draw against the Netherlands in the Nations League, where he scored a goal and took a dig at former Real Madrid player Rafael van der Vaart.

Although Yamal, born to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinea mother, missed a penalty in the subsequent shootout, his performance was pivotal in securing Spain’s place in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Prior to the match, Van der Vaart had publicly questioned Yamal’s attitude and work ethic, expressing concerns about his demeanor on the field.

He remarked, “I noticed some things about Lamine that started to bother me. Pants pulled too low, not putting in much effort, slightly superficial gestures…

“If you’re so young, you should be happy with every minute you play for Spain. You have to prove it.”

Yamal responded to the criticism in a bold manner during the match. After scoring a stunning goal, he celebrated by pulling down his shorts, a gesture that seemed to challenge the negativity directed at him.

Following Spain’s shootout victory, he took to social media, posting, “Pants down, a goal, a missed penalty and in the semi-finals hehehehe Let’s go Spain!”

Alongside this, he shared several photos on Instagram, one of which included a picture of Van der Vaart, further emphasizing his playful rebuttal .

His Barcelona and Spain teammate Ferran Torres joined in on the light-hearted banter, commenting, “Lower them a little more please,” accompanied by a heart emoji and raised hands.

Héctor Fort also chimed in with a more pointed remark, stating, “Keep talking, keep talking,” which indicated solidarity with Yamal’s response to the criticism.