Yamal pays tribute to Arsenal legend Henry after Nations League masterclass

The 19-year-old followed up his fine performance against England by scoring twice and providing an assist in La Roja’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League in Seville.

After netting his second goal of the evening, Yamal celebrated by holding the corner flag in the iconic style made famous by Henry during his Arsenal and France days.

Speaking after the match, Yamal explained the gesture.“Thierry Henry is a reference.

"He has this legendary celebration, and I wanted to do it,” he said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Yamal opened the scoring inside two minutes with a composed finish and later added a second from a tight angle, while also setting up Marc Pubill.

Nico Williams completed the scoring late on as Spain extended their remarkable unbeaten run to 40 matches.

The performance further strengthened Yamal’s surging case for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The Barcelona star has now registered an impressive return of 11 goals and 8 assists in his last 8 games.

Bookmakers and prediction markets have responded, with Yamal overtaking rivals and emerging as the favourite to win the prestigious individual honour.

Bayern Munich star Harry Kane remains the closest challenger, but displays like the one against Croatia have pushed Yamal firmly to the forefront.