​ARLINGTON, TX — Lamine Yamal turned 19 on Monday, July 13, and celebrated like every teenager loves to: Speaking to a bunch of people he’s never met.”Thanks to everyone for coming to my birthday,” Yamal joked to several hundred reporters who attended his news conference at Dallas Stadium. “I haven’t gotten that many gifts. I still have to see my family. But I’d give myself a win tomorrow and to be able to go to New York.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat is where the World Cup final is taking place, with Yamal hoping to help Spain past France in the World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, July 14.Win that, and Spain will play for a second World Cup title on July 19, with Spain’s official social media accounts posting a video of Yamal saying his wish is “to all be together until the 19th” as he and newly 23-year-old winger Victor Muñoz were delivered cake after lunch.The 19-year-old’s performance against France may go a long way toward determining whether or not that birthday wish comes true. Yamal has scored one goal this tournament, fewer than many fans expected from the dynamic teenager who already has won three La Liga titles with FC Barcelona.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYamal also helped Spain win the Euro title in 2024, beating France in the semifinal before toppling England in the final. Yet, even without Yamal finding the back of the net, Spain has clamped down on opponents – allowing only one goal so far this tournament – and gotten enough attacking contributions from elsewhere to reach the semifinal.1 / 13Spain’s Lamine Yamal in action during the World Cup with Portugal’s Nuno Mendes and Renato Veiga in Arlington, Texas, on July 6, 2026.He became the youngest player to score a World Cup goal since Pelé in 1958.(Tim Heitman, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)Born in the Barcelona area to a mother from Equatorial Guinea and a father from Morocco, Yamal was asked to respond to comments from former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, who claimed that France plays “without French” players due to the multicultural background of its players.“Before the World Cup semifinal, I don’t think is the place to speak about that, but if soccer is for anything, it’s for integrating, for partnership,” Yamal said. “There’s no better example than France and us. We’re examples of integration, and ultimately that’s what soccer is – not speaking about what another person has said.”Yamal and Spain take on France at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spain star Lamine Yamal had one big World Cup wish for his 19th birthday