Spain teenager Lamine Yamal lived up to his reputation as one of the most gifted young players in world football and a superstar of the future as his wonder strike secured a 2-1 win over France in the European Championship semi-final.
Yamal eclipsed Brazilian great Pele to become the youngest player to score in a major tournament with a stunning 21st-minute strike from around 25 yards that sailed into the top corner past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, helping Spain rally from a goal down.
Yamal entered the Euros with a number of 'youngest to' records next to his name. The Barcelona sensation had already made a name for himself as the youngest player to debut and score in La Liga at just 15 years of age, the youngest to start in the Champions League and also score for Spain.
It was only matter of time before he replicated it at the highest levels of international football.
How old is Lamine Yamal?
Yamal is 16 years and 362 days old, as of Wednesday. He broke the record of the previous youngest scorer at a Euros – Switzerland's Johan Vonlanthen, who scored against France in 2004 at the age of 18 years and 141 days.
Yamal will turn 17 on July 13, a day before the Euro 2024 final in Berlin against either England or the Netherlands.
Yamal's background
Yamal was born in Catalonia and grew up in Granollers and Mataro. He has a special connection with the place he grew up – Rocafonda, on Catalonia’s Maresme coast and on the edge of Mataro.
His unique celebration pays homage to his home – a 3-0-4 sign in reference to the postcode of where he grew up. When Yamal was seven years old, his family moved to Barcelona where he joined Barcelona's youth academy.
There, former Barca manager Xavi spotted Yamal among the academy cadets (the 14-15 year olds) and promptly invited him to train with first team. He was fast tracked to the senior Barca team within a year, bypassing the tier system that even the great Lionel Messi had to go through. And he has not looked back since.
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Barcelona's Spanish forward Lamine Yamal prays as he enters the pitch during the Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on April 16, 2024. AFP -
“We are a very mixed community,” says Agustin Vazquez, president of Rocafonda FC, “with a lot of families of North and West African heritage, and that’s reflected at our club.” Photo: Hannah Cauhepe for The National -
Lamine Yamal of Barcelona dribbles past Nuno Mendes of Paris Saint-Germain. Getty -
Children watch on as other kids play football at Rocafonda Football Club, the hometown of Barcelona starlet Yamine Lamal. Photo: Hannah Cauhepe for The National -
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, in action against PSG's Kylian Mbappe. Yamal was substituted following Ronald Araujo's red card and Barcelona would go on to lose the match 4-1 to be eliminated from the Champions League 6-4 on aggregate. Getty -
A poster at the La Torreta Football Club shows a photo of Lamine Yamal when he played for the club as a junior. Photo: Hannah Cauhepe for The National -
Lamine Yamal is Barcelona's youngest goalscorer aged 16 years and 87 days. AFP -
Children play at the street football pitch right above Rocafonda Football Club, a place where a young Lamine Yamal honed his skills. Photo: Hannah Cauhepe for The National -
Lamine Yamal's ability to dribble past players have earned him comparisons with Lionel Messi, something not welcomed by his coach, Xavi. AFP -
Young players of La Torreta Football Club's "escuela" team (ages 4-5), wait for their turn to play. Photo: Hannah Cauhepe for The National -
Lamine Yamal in action for Barcelona against Cadiz during a La Liga match at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla on April 13, 2024 in Cadiz, Spain. Getty -
View of a square in Rocafonda, Mataro, where Lamine Yamal played football as a child. The square has been completely remodeled and playing football here is now prohibited. The tag in the background reads "death to fascism". Photo: Hannah Cauhepe for The National -
Lamine Yamal graduated to Barcelona's first team from the the club's fabled La Masia academy. Getty -
Barcelona head coach Xavi gives Lamine Yamal instructions during the Champions League quarter-final first leg against PSG. EPA -
Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, left, up against and Paris Saint-Germain defender Nuno Mendes. AFP -
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in action against Las Palmas' Sergi Cardona. EPA
Yamal's family and religion
Yamal’s father Mounir was born in Morocco and mother Sheila in Equatorial Guinea. His paternal family members are Muslim.
What they said
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Yamal is a "genius" after being named named player of the match against France.
"We have seen a genius, the product of a genius," De la Fuente said. "He's a player we have to take care of – I have to give him the advice to keep working with the same humility and keep his feet on the floor.
"He would keep growing but this maturity and attitude at such a young age is like that of a more experienced player. We are lucky he is Spanish and we can enjoy him for many more years."
The Messi connection
Yamal has long been compared the other young sensation who burst onto the scene at Barcelona – Messi. And as it turns out, they did cross paths at Barca.
Recently, Yamal's father Mounir posted a photo on social media showing a young Messi holding a baby for a charity calendar that was made almost 16 years ago. The baby in the photo is Yamal.
There, Barcelona players posed with children and their families for a calendar as part of an annual charity event by local newspaper and Unicef. Messi was 20 years old at the time.
