Lamine Yamal has been creating headlines with his electrifying performances this summer on his way to Spain’s European Championship win. Whether it was his incredible strike against France, his tournament-leading four assists, or his winning of the Best Young Player award, the FC Barcelona and Spain prodigy’s name was everywhere in the media. The most incredible part about Yamal’s achievements this summer is the fact that he was able to become one of the most famous players in the soccer world as a 16-year-old.
At age six, Yamal was scouted by FC Barcelona to join their world-renowned academy, La Masía. After nine years in La Masía, Yamal made his professional debut in a 4-0 La Liga win against Real Betis as a 15-year-old. That game made him the youngest player to play for Barcelona in over a century, and the fifth youngest player to ever play a game in La Liga, a great start to Yamal’s professional career, but his success would only continue from there.
Over the course of the next season, Yamal broke into the starting XI and made himself a regular. In the 2023-24 season, Yamal grabbed a total of seven goals and nine assists. Despite the underwhelming season, Yamal still got called up to Spain’s national team for the 2024 Euros.
Yamal began the tournament as the youngest player ever to play in the European Championship, making an appearance in Spain’s 3-0 win against Croatia. That game was the first of a flawless trio of group stage games which propelled Spain into the knockout stages. Spain began the knockout stage by smashing Georgia 4-1 in the round of 16, and then barely beat Germany in dramatic fashion with a goal in the 119th minute of extra time. Spain went down 1-0 early into their semifinal against France, but Yamal began Spain’s comeback with an incredible outside-of-the-box curling strike that was later named the Euro 24 Goal of the Tournament, and made him the youngest player to ever score in the Euros. Spain ended up winning 2-1 against one of the favorites, France, to send Spain to the finals against England.
After helping lead Spain through the tournament, Yamal shone in the final. Spain managed to beat England 2-1, with Yamal collecting a fourth total assist from Nico Williams’ goal in the 47th minute. That game finalized many records that may take years to break again.
Yamal ended the tournament with the most assists out of any player, and also went home as the Euro 2024 Young Player of the Tournament. After the final, Yamal became the youngest ever player to win the European championship just one day after his 17th birthday. Yamal has just begun a new season at FC Barcelona, and seems set to have a career year. As Biel Gili-Harik ’26 said, “If he is supported by good players and has opportunities to prove his talent he could become one of the best players in the world.”
