Los Angeles immigration protest clashes: What’s the latest and what’s next?
Los Angeles has witnessed a third night of protests against the immigration crackdown by United States President Donald Trump’s administration. The administration’s decision to deploy the national guard has widened the rift between Republicans and Democrats, including the leadership of California. And now, the Trump administration has indicated that it might send US marines in to help quell the protests. That scenario would mirror the events of 1992 when marines were deployed alongside the national guard for law enforcement in Los Angeles during riots that followed the acquittal of four policemen filmed beating Rodney King, a Black man. What is the latest from the protests? On Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared the protests in downtown LA an “unlawful assembly”. “You are to leave the Downtown Area immediately,” the LAPD said in a post on X. One group of protesters shut down a major thoroughfare in central Los Angeles, the 101 Freeway. The LAPD wrote that the freeway was shut down “due to demonstrators throwing objects onto the SB [San Bernardino] lanes of the 101 Freeway and damaging multiple police vehicles”. Advertisement The protest also spilled over to San Francisco, where protesters rallied in solidarity with those in Los Angeles outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building. San Francisco police declared this an unlawful assembly and arrested about 60 people. On Saturday, Trump deployed about 2,000 national guard soldiers to Los Angeles despite objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. What is unlawful assembly? Legally, an unlawful assembly refers to an intentional meeting of three or more people that disrupts public peace. Why are there protests in LA? The protests began on Friday night after ICE officials arrested 44 people for violating immigration laws. The US Department of Homeland Security later said ICE officials had arrested a total of 118 immigrants who did not have the required documents to stay in the US. Uniformed ICE agents went through the city in caravans of unmarked military-style vehicles to make the arrests. The protests sprung up as a response to these operations. Crowds of demonstrators gathered outside a facility where some of the detainees were believed to be held. Where are the Los Angeles protests? The protests are largely taking place in downtown Los Angeles, where protesters spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of the Edward R Roybal Federal Building. Which agencies are now involved? ICE was the agency leading the immigration arrests. After protests broke out on Friday, the LAPD was called in to quell civil unrest. Advertisement Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference on Sunday that in recent days, many protests in the city have been peaceful. “However, when peaceful demonstrations devolve into acts of vandalism or violence, especially violence directed at innocent people, law enforcement officers and others, we must respond firmly.” On Saturday, Trump ordered the deployment of at least 2,000 national guard soldiers to Los Angeles County. Newsom asked Trump to rescind this order. “We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” he wrote. “This is a serious breach of state sovereignty – inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.” Bass described Trump’s deployment of the national guard in Los Angeles as “a chaotic escalation”. Could the marines be deployed next? The US military’s Northern Command issued a statement on Sunday saying about 500 marines are in a “prepared to deploy status” and they are ready to assist the Department of Defense. “The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in an X post on Sunday. Deranged = allowing your city to burn & law enforcement to be attacked. There is plenty of room for peaceful protest, but ZERO tolerance for attacking federal agents who are doing their job. The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE. https://t.co/KVjvvnaL70 — Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) June 8, 2025 Other Republicans have echoed Hegseth’s sentiments. “One of our core principles is maintaining peace through strength. We do that on foreign affairs and domestic affairs as well. I don’t think that’s heavy-handed,” Mike Johnson, speaker of the US House of Representatives, told ABC News. Advertisement In an X post on Sunday, Newsom described Hegseth’s threat to deploy the Marines as “deranged behavior”. How many people have been arrested? At least 10 people were arrested during the protests on Sunday, LAPD Captain Raul Jovel said at the news conference. However, he added that this number was “fluid and preliminary” and arrests were ongoing. On Saturday, 29 people were arrested, according to McDonnell. Jovel said three officers were injured in the clashes. He added that the injuries were not significant enough for the officers to be transported to hospital. What’s happening to Waymo in Los Angeles? The protesters have also vandalised and set ablaze several self-driving cars that belong to the ride-hailing company Waymo. Los Angeles media outlets reported that protesters spray-painted anti-ICE messages on multiple self-driving cars lined up between Arcadia and Alameda streets in Los Angeles. On Sunday in a post on X, the LAPD advised against visiting the area. What are Trump administration officials saying? In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump criticised Newsom and Bass, both Democrats. In one post on Sunday, he wrote: “Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologise to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots. These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists. Remember, NO MASKS!” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in an X post: “A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. @ICEgov will continue to enforce the law.” A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. @ICEgov will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest
Why are people protesting in Los Angeles?
[unable to retrieve full-text content] The raids that triggered the protests in LA were part of a much wider crackdown that campaigners call unjust.
Russia hits Ukraine with record 479-drone strike ahead of POW swap
Russia has launched 479 drones against Ukraine in the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the three-year war, according to the Ukrainian air force. The air force said early on Monday that it had downed 460 drones as well as 19 missiles launched overnight. Russia’s continued to step up its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, despite declaring, under pressure from United States President Donald Trump, that it is interested in pursuing peace talks. The record launch came just ahead of the start of a prisoner swap agreed at recent talks between the pair. Of the hundreds of projectiles fired at numerous targets, only 10 reached their destination, Kyiv officials said. One person was reported injured. Russia’s escalation of aerial attacks has been matched by a renewed battlefield push in the eastern and northeastern parts of the roughly 1,000km (621-mile) front line in occupied parts of Ukraine. The onslaught follows a secretive Ukrainian drone attack that damaged several Russian bombers parked at airbases deep inside the country in what was an embarrassment for the Kremlin and, according to Kyiv, a palpable hit on its ability to strike across the border with missiles. Advertisement Russia’s Ministry of Defence said one target of Kyiv’s strike was the Dubno airbase in Ukraine’s Rivne region, which hosts tactical aviation aircraft. The mayor of the western city of Rivne, Oleksandr Tretyak, said the overnight drone launch was “the largest attack” on his region since the start of the war. Prisoner swap Late on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conceded that in some areas targeted by the Russian offensive, “the situation is very difficult”. However, he provided no details. Ukraine is shorthanded on the front line against its bigger enemy and needs further military support from its Western partners, especially air defences. However, uncertainty about the US policy has led to doubts about how much help Kyiv can count on. Two recent rounds of direct peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul have yielded no breakthroughs beyond pledges to swap thousands of prisoners, including dead and seriously wounded soldiers. Since the agreement, believed to concern an exchange of around 1,200 prisoners by each, was struck last week, the pair has accused one another of failing to meet their obligations. However, the first batch of POWs was repatriated on Monday afternoon. “Today’s exchange has begun. It will be done in several stages in the coming days,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app. “Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25,” he added. The Russian defence ministry also said the first exchange had been carried out. It did not say how many prisoners had been swapped, but did note that the numbers on each side matched. Advertisement The Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that its forces shot down 49 Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions. Two drones hit a plant specialising in electronic warfare equipment in the Chuvashia region, located more than 600km (373 miles) east of Moscow, officials reported. Since the beginning of the war in 2022, Russia has targeted both military and civilian areas of Ukraine with Shahed drones. The attacks have killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. However, Russia claims it attacks only military targets. Alexander Gusev, head of Russia’s Voronezh region, said 25 drones had been shot down there overnight, damaging a gas pipeline and sparking a small fire. The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces also claimed that its special operations troops struck two Russian jets stationed at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia’s Novgorod region, located some 650km (404 miles) from the Ukrainian border. The statement did not say how the planes were struck. Adblock test (Why?)
Gaza aid sites branded ‘human slaughterhouses’ under deadly Israeli fire
At least 13 Palestinians have been killed and more than 150 injured after Israeli troops and American security contractors opened fire on crowds waiting for food near two aid distribution sites in Gaza, one east of Rafah and another near the Wadi Gaza Bridge. Sunday’s killings are the latest in a series of attacks on civilians seeking food at aid centres operated by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-led initiative backed by Israel in Israeli-controlled zones. More than 130 people have now been killed and more than 700 wounded by Israeli troops while desperately trying to access meagre food parcels for their hungry families from the aid sites since the GHF programme began on May 27. At least nine people are still missing. In a statement, Gaza’s Government Media Office condemned the distribution sites as “human slaughterhouses”, accusing Israeli forces of luring desperate civilians to their deaths. “These are war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the statement said, urging an independent international probe and an immediate suspension of GHF’s delivery model. Advertisement The drive backed by Israel and the United States has faced growing criticism from human rights organisations and the United Nations for violating basic humanitarian standards and bypassing organisations that have decades of experience distributing aid to the entire population of the besieged enclave. ‘This is a trap for us, not aid’ The latest bloodshed reportedly began around 6am local time (03:00 GMT), as hundreds of Palestinians stalked by starvation gathered near the aid point in the al-Alam area of Rafah. Witnesses said people had started forming queues as early as 4:30am, desperate to get food before the site became overwhelmed. “After about an hour and a half, hundreds moved toward the site, and the army opened fire,” said witness Abdallah Nour al-Din. Palestinians mourn over the body of Ahmed Abu Hilal, killed en route to an aid hub in Gaza, during his funeral at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, June 8, 2025 [Abdel Kareem Hana/AP] The Israeli military later said its troops opened fire on individuals who “continued advancing in a way that endangered the soldiers”, and claimed the area had been designated an “active combat zone” at night. However, survivors insist the shooting took place after sunrise. “This is a trap for us, not aid,” said Adham Dahman, speaking to the Associated Press from Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza with a bloodied bandage on his chin. He said a tank fired towards the crowd, and people were left scrambling for cover. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said that 13 wounded individuals and one person who was dead on arrival came to its clinic in the al-Mawasi area of southern Khan Younis today. Advertisement MSF said the injured and dead were “carried in donkey carts, on bicycles, or on foot”. The wounded were all men between the ages of 17 and 30. The victims said they were shot in the Shakoush area while travelling to a food distribution site in Saudi village. Footage from outside the hospital showed mourning families weeping over blood-soaked shrouds, as emergency workers rushed to treat the wounded. UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese called the GHF operation “humanitarian camouflage” and “an essential tactic of this genocide”. People carry relief supplies on June 8, 2025 after they have been distributed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which the United Nations and major aid organisations have refused to cooperate with, citing concerns that GHF was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives [Eyad Baba/AFP] In a post on social media, Albanese blamed “the moral and political corruption of the world” for enabling the destruction of Gaza. Al Jazeera’s correspondent Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said the GHF’s delivery model has proven woefully inadequate. “Today’s deadly attacks in the south show that the GHF is insufficient in the way it’s running aid delivery,” he said. “In the north, living conditions are becoming even more difficult. People are not just spending hours searching for water and food — they are spending the entire day. By the end of it, many are completely exhausted and dehydrated, simply because they could not find anything.” Advertisement An unnamed GHF official claimed there has been no violence in or around its aid distribution sites, all three of which delivered food on Sunday, according to The Associated Press. Hospitals overwhelmed The violence comes as Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that the total death toll from Israel’s ongoing war has reached 54,880, with more than 126,000 injured since October 7, 2023. Since Israel ended a ceasefire on March 18, 4,603 Palestinians have been killed and more than 14,000 injured. In just the last 24 hours, Israeli strikes have killed at least 108 people and wounded nearly 400 more across the besieged enclave, the ministry said. Hospitals are overwhelmed and on the brink of collapse, the ministry said. Rafah’s Red Cross Field Hospital has declared 12 mass casualty emergencies in just two weeks, with more than 900 wounded arriving during that period — 41 of them already dead. Most of those treated had been trying to reach food distribution sites when they were shot or injured. A spokesman at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah warned that fuel supplies for Gaza’s health facilities may run out within 48 hours, leaving patients without care. “The hospital’s artificial kidney department is out of service due to the occupation’s attacks,” he told Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, the director of al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera that the lives of 300 kidney failure patients hang in the balance. “We are facing a real disaster in the hospital if electricity is not provided,” he warned. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Israel strikes Syria again, claims to have killed alleged Hamas member
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports one dead and two others wounded in the Israeli attack on a vehicle. The Israeli army has again bombed Syria, claiming it killed a Hamas member during an air strike in the south of the country, in the latest in its series of attacks on Syria in the wake of former President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster last December. In a statement on Telegram on Sunday morning, the Israeli army said it had struck the alleged Hamas member in the Mazraat Beit Jin area. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that one person was killed and two others were wounded in the Israeli attack targeting a vehicle in the town near the United Nations-patrolled buffer zone. Hamas has not yet commented on the death of the alleged member. The observatory says Israel has carried out 61 attacks – 51 by air and 10 by ground – in Syria so far this year. Two rockets launched from Syria targeted Israel earlier this week, a first since the fall of al-Assad. Two groups claimed responsibility for the attack. The first group, named the “Martyr Mohammed Deif Brigades”, is a little-known group named after the Hamas military commander who was killed last year. A second little-known group, the “Islamic Resistance Front in Syria”, called for action against Israel from southern Syria a few months ago. Advertisement Israel struck southern Syria shortly afterwards, with Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz saying that he was holding Syria “directly responsible”. Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani condemned Israel’s attacks and called them “coordinated provocations aimed at undermining Syria’s progress and stability”. “These actions create an opening for outlawed groups to exploit the resulting chaos,” he said, adding, “Syria has made its intentions clear: we are not seeking war, but rather reconstruction”. Syria and Israel had recently engaged in indirect talks to ease tensions, a significant development in relations between states that have been on opposite sides of conflicts in the Middle East for decades. But Israel has relentlessly waged a campaign of aerial bombardment that has destroyed much of Syria’s military infrastructure. It has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and taken more territory in the aftermath of al-Assad’s removal, citing lingering concerns over the country’s new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who it dismisses as a “jihadist.” Syria’s new government has taken several major steps towards international acceptance after the United States and European Union lifted sanctions on the country last month, giving a nation devastated by nearly 14 years of civil war a lifeline to recovery. Adblock test (Why?)
Portugal beat Spain in penalty shootout to win second Nations League crown
Ruben Neves scores winning penalty kick as Portugal defeat Spain 5-3 in a shootout to win football’s Nations League title. Cristiano Ronaldo was in tears as Portugal picked up their second Nations League title by beating holders Spain 5-3 on penalties following a thrilling 2-2 draw in the final. Ronaldo’s 138th international goal took the final on Sunday to a shootout, with Alvaro Morata’s miss proving costly for Spain as Ruben Neves struck the winning spot kick to spark wild scenes of celebration, with emotion overwhelming the veteran captain. Spain’s exhilarating 5-4 victory over France in Thursday’s semifinal ensured Luis de la Fuente’s side had continued an unbeaten run that stretched back to March 2023 coming into Sunday’s showpiece final in Munich. They appeared on course for yet another trophy, on the back last year’s European Championship triumph, as Martin Zubimendi tapped home his second international goal in the 21st minute. The holders’ lead did not last long, however, as flying Portugal full-back Nuno Mendes slotted home the equaliser after good work from Ronaldo in the build-up. A sublime pass from midfielder Pedri helped Mikel Oyarzabal, who netted the winner against England in last year’s European Championship final, restore Spain’s lead before the break. Advertisement The football tussle between the Iberian neighbours was billed as a clash between old and new – 40-year-old and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. While Yamal, among the favourites to take home one of the most prestigious individual awards this year, struggled to make inroads, Ronaldo pounced on his chance, firing Portugal level from close range just past the hour mark. Ronaldo went off injured late on, and neither side could find a winner in extra time, with the game going to a shootout and Portugal netting all five of their penalties to claim the trophy. Earlier on Sunday, Kylian Mbappe led France to third place with a 2-0 win over host nation Germany in Stuttgart. The Real Madrid star scored one goal and set up the other for Michael Olise as France recovered from a lethargic first half. Adblock test (Why?)
Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Attorney Robert Patillo compares Trump’s crackdown on LA protests to tactics used by autocratic regimes.
AI surveillance crackdown in the US
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Is there a shift in the digital surveillance of ordinary people?
Colombia presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe shot: What to know
Colombian presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe is “fighting for his life” after being shot during a campaign rally in the capital, Bogota. The assault took place on Saturday in a park as the country gears up for next year’s presidential election. Uribe, a 39-year-old senator, was shot twice – in the head and the chest, according to Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office. The suspect is a 15-year-old who is in custody. Here is what to know about the incident and Uribe’s current status: What happened at the rally? Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, who is seeking to run in the 2026 presidential election, was shot from behind at a campaign rally about 5pm [22:00 GMT] at El Golfito Park in Bogota’s Fontibon district. A video verified by The New York Times shows Uribe being shot in the middle of his speech. Images from the scene of the shooting showed Uribe slumped against the hood of a white car, smeared with blood, as a group of men tried to hold him and stop the bleeding. According to local media reports, he was first stabilised at a nearby clinic before being airlifted to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital. The hospital confirmed he arrived about 8:30pm on Saturday [01:00 GMT Sunday]. Advertisement A security guard managed to detain the suspected attacker, a minor who is believed to be 15 years old. National Police Director Carlos Fernando Triana said the suspect was injured and was receiving treatment. Two others – a man and a woman – were also wounded. But no details were available regarding their identities. Miguel Uribe Londono, far left, father of Miguel Uribe Turbay outside Santa Fe Foundation hospital [Ivan Valencia/AP Photo] What is Uribe’s health status now? Uribe is stable but still in critical condition after emerging on Sunday from a “neurosurgical” and “peripheral vascular procedure”, according to the hospital. He “overcame the first surgical procedure”, Bogota Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan told the media, adding that he had entered “the critical hours” of recovery. “He fought the first battle and fought it well. He is fighting for his life,” Uribe’s wife was heard saying in an audio recording shared with the media. Who is Miguel Uribe? Uribe was elected as senator in 2022 under the conservative Democratic Centre party, founded by former President Alvaro Uribe, whom he is not related to. The former president described the shooting as an attack against “a hope for the country”. His maternal grandfather, Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala, served as president from 1978 to 1982. He is also the son of journalist Diana Turbay, who was kidnapped in 1990 by Pablo Escobar’s Medellin cartel. She died in a botched rescue operation by Colombian forces a few months later. Uribe has held several public offices, including Bogota City Council member (2012–2015) and government secretary of Bogota (2016–2018). He also ran for the capital’s mayor in 2019 but lost that election. Miguel Uribe, 39, was in critical condition and one person had been arrested in his shooting [File: Raul Arboleda/AFP] Who attacked Uribe? The Attorney General’s Office confirmed a 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene with a “9mm Glock-type firearm”. Witnesses had also described seeing a young assailant open fire from behind Uribe before being subdued by bodyguards and civilians. Advertisement The suspect remains in custody with investigations under way to determine if there were any accomplices. What was the motive behind the shooting? No motive has been established, and authorities said there was no specific threat made against the politician before the incident. But the country is home to several armed groups, powerful cartels and has a long history of political violence. In the 1980s and 1990s, at least five presidential candidates were assassinated by drug cartels, paramilitaries or political opponents. One such case was the assassination of Luis Carlos Galan in 1989. Galan was a leading presidential candidate known for his strong anticorruption stance and opposition to drug trafficking. He was widely expected to win the presidency the following year. A 2016 agreement aimed to bring long-lasting peace to the country by disarming rebels from the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. When is the next presidential election in Colombia? Colombia’s next presidential election is scheduled for May, in which current leftist President Gustavo Petro is ineligible to run due to term limits. A run-off will be held if needed. Uribe, who is a right-wing critic of Petro, announced his intention to run for president in March. What are the reactions? The attack drew strong reactions from both local and international leaders. Petro pledged an investigation. “What matters most today is that all Colombians focus with the energy of our hearts, with our will to live … on ensuring that Dr Miguel Uribe stays alive.” Advertisement In an earlier statement, Petro condemned the violence as “an attack not only against his person, but also against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia”. “Respect life, that’s the red line. … My solidarity [is] with the Uribe family and the Turbay family. I don’t know how to ease their pain,” he posted on X. Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez mobilised military and intelligence resources and announced a reward of 3 billion Colombian pesos ($730,000) for information about the shooting. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement saying the US condemns the attack “in the strongest possible terms” and considers it a “direct threat to democracy”. He also called on Petro to “dial back the inflammatory rhetoric” and protect officials. Leaders across Latin America also condemned the attack. Chilean President Gabriel Boric said, “There is no room or justification for violence in a democracy,” while Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa denounced “all forms of violence and intolerance”. Both expressed solidarity with Uribe’s family. Adblock test (Why?)
Nations League final: Spain-Portugal more than Yamal battle, says Ronaldo
Defending champions Spain face 2019 winners, and Iberian rivals, Portugal in Sunday’s Nations League final in Munich. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged that he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo. The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football. Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final, and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France. Ronaldo, however, said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world”. “There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK. “When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.” Advertisement “You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding, “but I’d like to talk about the team. “They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach [Luis] de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.” Spain’s Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his side’s third goal against France int the Nations League semifinal with Spain’s Nico Williams [Angelika Warmuth/Reuters] Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbours in a competitive fixture 21 years ago, in a match which Ronaldo started. Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age. Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later. Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last year. The Portuguese veteran asked the media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son”. “The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Yamal was “only 17, but very mature for his age. Well-prepared, intelligent – he lives life as if it’s all normal, and that’s what we want for him”. De la Fuente said the national side were “trying to walk alongside [Yamal] in his education,” but added “you’d be surprised, shocked, how calm he is. Advertisement “He’s special. For some people, this would be a situation of maximum stress. But for him, he’s relaxed, he’s in control – he masters the situation.” The coach also took time to praise Ronaldo, calling him “a legend in football and an example of the values I like: effort, work rate, sacrifice, getting better every day and never letting your guard down. “Portugal are led by a footballer who will go down in history with an indelible legacy.” Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019. Spain have won 16 and drawn two of their past 18 fixtures – and have not lost a competitive match since March 2023. Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal told reporters his side “do not think we are better than anyone,” but “we trust ourselves 100 percent and know we can compete in every game. “We’ve shown that over the years. Our level is very high.” Adblock test (Why?)