Lamine, Nico, and the football we want

At the Euro's final, the good football comes is the shape of a duo.

Happy Sunday!

Enjoy this pre-Euro's final special edition of The Good Football.

This year arrived with the promise of a great football year. Copa America, Euros, Olympic Games, and the 100th anniversary of the best team in the world. It is now July, I don't recognize the Seleção I learned to adore, and I want my Furacão to STOP THE COUNT and cancel the party.

So far, there are three things saving my football year:

1. My newly found passion for the Barça Femení and getting to experience their amazing campaign at the UEFA Women's Champions League closely.

2. Watching Fernandinho play absolute top-class football in my team's upsetting centenary year.

3. Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.

Today, I want to talk about these last two and why I reckon they are some of the best of The Good Football we have seen in a while. Today, a day that could consecrate them as legends of the fourth (not the first, as it initially showed in the post) UEFA Euros title of the men's Spanish team.

Photo: Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal Instagram

Even though I am very passionate about promoting football as a force for positive change in the world, sometimes I really just want to enjoy good football on the pitch, you know? After all, it was the initial passion for the game that ignited everything else in me.

The thing is, the bad stuff ends up getting in the way of that: money that speaks louder than sentiment, corruption, racism, gentrification, or plain and simple low-quality, lifeless football—you name it. All the countless enthusiasm killers slowly push away the magic that surrounds football when we first come in contact with it and, at least in my case, deem the excitement to watch, follow, and support.

I strongly believe the on-pitch and off-pitch greatness of the game are intertwined, and at this Euros, Nico and Lamine are gracing us with the good football at its finest.

It is refreshing to watch these young guys display great, fun, winning football and bring the men's Spanish team back to life while also representing the new and multicultured face of Spain. And dancing!

Their success on the pitch is bringing awareness to important topics in a natural way that will hopefully benefit Spanish society and beyond. For example, Vicente Del Bosque, former Spain manager, affirmed with what seemed to be the best intentions that “two immigrants” have made the Spanish squad better, despite many people not liking that. Again, the intention behind his statement is great, but he was most likely referring to Nico and Lamine, who are both Spanish by birth.

Regardless of the gaffe, the discussion around it seemed to be quite positive, with more and more people understanding that Spain does look different now, and so does its football, thankfully.

The fact that these conversations are happening during a successful Euros for Spain is very important. Winning is essential in football, and a good performance opens many more doors for football to walk through as a tool of social transformation.

Anyone who is aware of the recurring unfortunate and enraging racist incidents in the Spanish league lately can identify the significance and symbolism of Nico and Lamine's ascendancy. Call me delusional, but I feel hopeful and excited to see where these two will help take Spain on and off the pitch.

One considerable change I have already witnessed is that, for the first time since I moved to Barcelona, I feel like there is excitement around the national team. I learned very early on that here in Catalonia, not everyone feels represented by the Spanish team, which makes this a very neutral territory in times of World Cup, Euros, and more. But this year, I have heard people cheering from their apartments, seen Spanish jerseys on the streets, and *drumroll* will head downtown to watch the game on a giant screen set up at a public plaza.

I'm not saying that all of a sudden Barcelona became unanimously supportive of the Spanish national squad or that this is all happening because of the Williams-Yamal duo. But I can't shake the feeling that a team that reflects more of the cultural pluralism within the country would be more likely to win the Catalans over. (Plus Lamine plays for Barça. Less romantic, but probably the main reason behind all the love.)

Here's to Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal's youthful, daring, fun, new, disruptive, and victorious football in the 2024 Euros, regardless of the final score.

Best of luck to the English, Spanish, and Colombian supporters today (nope, I did not forget anyone 🙃). May we get great spectacles with all-around good football.

---

THE GOOD LINKS

​🐺​ This Mundial newsletter about an iconic Italian illustrator.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿​ This campaign raising awareness about the connection between domestic violence and football, and

🖋️​ this article found on

Unexpected Delirium

, diving deeper into the same subject.

👶​ This partnership that will bring to life the first-ever nursery at the Olympic Village.

---