He will only turn 17 on Saturday, but Lamine Yamal has already made a name for himself thanks to stellar performances for FC Barcelona and, more recently, the Spain national team at the ongoing European Championships, which ends on Sunday.
Yamal starred for La Roja in dispatching France from Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win in the first semi-final, scoring a goal of the tournament contender that left the French team at a loss for words while his Spanish team-mates were in awe of the diamond in their ranks.
The goal ensured Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history and the youngest goalscorer in the history of major football competitions at 16 years and 362 days old. The previous record holder, Pele, was 17 years old when he scored at the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
His goal came 13 minutes after Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe set up Randal Kolo Muani for the opening goal. That assist was just Mbappe’s second goal contribution at the Euros – the other being a penalty against Switzerland in the group stage.
But with France failing to beat Spain, it means Mbappe has still not added the Euros title to his illustrious trophy cabinet, nor has he scored from open play in the competition. France fell to Switzerland in the Round of 16 stage in Euro 2020 after Mbappe failed to score France’s fifth kick in the penalty shootout.
On his part, Yamal has contributed four goals to Spain’s winning streak at the Euros, providing three assists in what has been a tournament to remember for the two-time European champions, who now await the winner of the second semi-final between England and Netherlands.
Whichever team comes through that match, football fans are assured to see Yamal ready to display his talent again to set another record ahead of Mbappe – the youngest player to win the Euros at 17 years and one day old.
Will Yamal help Spain win Euro 2024 and go on to become greater than Mbappe?