Article #77568

• ‘What I want as a present is a win,’ says Spain’s young star

• Luis de la Fuente hopes best is still to come at World Cup

Lamine Yamal’s 19th birthday started with a kickabout with his mates and took in a show. He played the lead role himself, taking centre stage before a packed house in the World Cup semi-final pre-match press conference. Walking in, he peeled back his tracksuit top like Superman to reveal the gift that he got: a huge white gold and diamond chain BA Baracas would have been proud of.

“Actually, no, I bought this for myself so it doesn’t count as a gift,” he said, flashing a smile at the room of journalists who he thanked for accepting the invitation to be there on his big day. A glint in his eye, he said he hadn’t had many presents yet, but he knew what he wanted: “A trip to New York.”