Lamine Yamal: Spanish teenager becomes youngest player in European Championship history

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

Spanish striker Lamine Yamal became the youngest player in the history of the European Championship.

Yamal, aged 16 years and 338 days, started for Spain on Saturday in their Euro 2024 opener against Croatia in his eighth appearance for his country.

The Barcelona winger breaks the previous record set by Brighton and Hove Albion's Kacper Kozłowski, who played for Poland at Euro 2020 at the age of 17 years and 246 days.

Kozlowski had already overtaken Jude Bellingham, who held the record for six days after coming on as a second-half substitute in England's group stage victory over Croatia at the same tournament.

Bellingham became the youngest goalscorer in the competition's history when he scored in England's quarter-final victory over Ukraine, aged 18 years and four days.

Yamal has scored two goals and provided four assists since his international debut by Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente in September last year.

The Barcelona academy graduate was deployed on the right of a front three, alongside La Roja captain Alvaro Morata and Nico Williams.

It caps a remarkable season for the teenager, who became the youngest player in history to start a Champions League match at the start of 2023-24.

He made his debut in Barcelona's victory over Porto in the group stage, breaking the previous record set by Nigerian and Anderlecht defender, Celestine Babayaro.

He is also already the youngest goalscorer in the history of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

GO FURTHER

What makes Lamine Yamal such a special footballer?

“His impact was enormous”

Analysis of Pol Ballus

If anyone is tempted to read Yamal's debut as a chance to pick up a record, forget it. It starts because, at the moment, it is very important for Spain.

Although his full international debut was partly motivated by the Spanish FA to secure Yamal's Spanish nationality (he was also eligible for Morocco), the impact he has had since his first appearance in a Spain jersey has been huge. Two goals and four assists in seven games, as well as a standing ovation from the Santiago Bernabeu, bear witness to this.

His partnership with best friend Nico Williams on the wings is, similarly, a symbol of the new style Spain want to embody: a possession-oriented team unafraid to sit deep and counterattack if the game demands it. .

“What style are we going to play? The style that leads us to victory. It's so simple. I am not the guardian of any philosophy. It’s a mistake to believe that there is only one way to succeed,” Rodri said in preparation for the match. And here comes Yamal to make Spain as unpredictable as they want.

(Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)