Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana (born 13 July 2007) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is widely regarded as one of the most promising young players in the world.

Born in Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean Fang mother, Yamal spent most of his youth in Barcelona.

FC Barcelona

Youth career

Growing up through the youth ranks of La Masia, Yamal was soon viewed as one of the academy's best prospects. Whilst added to the Juvenil A team—already above his age grade—for the 2022–23 season, Yamal was selected by Xavi to train with the first team along with other youngsters in early September 2022. While still yet to sign his first professional contract with the club, he appeared to be one of the academy members to most impress the coach.

2023–24: First-team breakthrough

Yamal made his first-team debut on 29 April 2023, replacing Gavi in the 83rd minute in a 4–0 win against Real Betis in La Liga in which he registered a shot on target against former Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and became the youngest player to appear for Barcelona's first team at 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old. He won his first title with Barça on 14 May 2023, having been part of the squad that won the 2022–23 La Liga. Despite this, he would miss the title celebration the following week due to international duty with Spain.

Yamal earned his first start for the club on 20 August 2023 in a 2–0 victory over Cádiz at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, becoming the youngest starter for Barcelona in La Liga at the age of 16 years and 38 days. His first start was met with a standing ovation from the opposition fans as he was subbed off with five minutes left in the game. In his next starting appearance, Yamal was named man of the match after contributing towards two goals scored by Gavi and Robert Lewandowski in a 4–3 victory over Villarreal on 28 August 2023. At 16 years and 45 days, he became the youngest player to supply an assist in a La Liga fixture. He was named the inaugural U23 Player of the Month for August as a result of his performances. On 19 September, Yamal made his Champions League debut in a 5–0 win over Antwerp, becoming the second youngest player to feature in the competition, aged 16 years and 68 days, only behind Youssoufa Moukoko.

On 2 October 2023, Yamal extended his contract with Barcelona until 2026, with a buyout clause of €1 billion. Two days later, he started in his first match of the Champions League against Porto, becoming the youngest player named in a starting line-up at 16 years and 83 days old. Yamal was three days younger than Celestine Babayaro, who set the record in 1994. On 8 October 2023, Yamal scored his first goal for the first team in a 2–2 away draw to Granada. He became the youngest goalscorer for Barcelona and the youngest in history to score in La Liga, aged 16 years and 87 days, breaking both records set by Ansu Fati and Fabrice Olinga respectively. On 28 October 2023, Yamal made his first El Clásico appearance as a substitute in a 2–1 loss at home, becoming the youngest player to feature for Barcelona since Ansu Fati and breaking Vicenç Martínez's record in 1941.

On 4 December 2023, Yamal was given the inaugural Golden Boy The Youngest trophy, which is awarded to the youngest player nominated for the Golden Boy award. Subsequently on the ceremony day, Yamal was not present due to school.

Yamal is a youth international for Spain, having played for the Spanish U15 and U16 squads.

In 2023, he represented Spain's U17 side in the 2023 European U17 Championship with Yamal scoring 4 goals during the tournament. Spain went all the way to the semi-finals where they were knocked out by France following a 3–1 defeat.

At the age of 16 years and 50 days, Yamal received his first senior international call-up on 1 September 2023 by coach Luis de la Fuente for the 2024 Euros qualifiers against Georgia and Cyprus. Yamal made his senior debut for Spain against Georgia on 8 September 2023, scoring in the 74th minute of a 7–1 victory. At the age of 16 years and 57 days old, he became the youngest player and goalscorer for Spain, breaking both of Gavi's records who debuted at 17 years and 62 days old and scored at 17 years and 304 days old. In addition to this, Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in a Euro qualifying match, overtaking Gareth Bale's record who scored at the age of 17 years and 83 days old.

Yamal was recalled to the Spanish squad in October 2023 for the remaining Euro qualifying matches against Scotland and Norway. Spain would win both matches to qualify for Euro 2024.

A left-footed forward with excellent dribbling, passing and chance creating abilities, Yamal is able to play either as a centre-forward, an attacking midfielder or a winger, notably on the right flank.

With his technical profile, he was compared to his idol Lionel Messi, like many La Masia products before him, but also more recently, on loan Barcelona player Ansu Fati.

Club

As of match played 21 January 2023

International

As of match played 19 November 2023

As of match played 16 November 2023.

Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Yamal goal.

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	8 September 2023	Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia	1	Georgia	7–1	7–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
2	16 November 2023	Alphamega Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus	3	Cyprus	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2022–23
• Supercopa de España runner-up: 2023–24

Individual

• La Liga U23 Player of the Month: August 2023
• Tuttosport's The Youngest Award: 2023
• UEFA European Under-17 Championship Top Scorer: 2023
• UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2023