‘Superstar’ Yamal makes more history with Euros triumph

Breaking Pele’s 66-year-old record and achieving things Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could only have dreamed of at his age.

It is fair to say Lamine Yamal has shaken up the game of football in the past year – and he reached the pinnacle on Sunday as he became the youngest player to ever win a European Championship or World Cup – at the age of 17 years and one day.

The Barcelona winger set up Nico Williams’ opener in their 2-1 Euro 2024 final win over England – and forced Jordan Pickford into two fine saves.

Nobody was involved in more Euro 2024 goals than Yamal – with one goal and four assists.

Nobody has set up more goals in a single European Championship since records began in 1980.

And nobody has ever been directly involved in goals in a quarter-final, semi-final and final before Yamal achieved the feat.

Unsurprisingly, he was named the tournament’s Young Player of the Tournament.

“I am very happy, this is a dream,” said Yamal. “I’m looking forward to returning to Spain and celebrating with all the fans. It’s the best birthday present ever.”

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand said the teenager was a “sensation” and an “elite player”.

“He was a star before this tournament, but he’s a superstar now,” he added.

In the last few weeks Yamal became the youngest person to play at the Euros, to assist a goal at the Euros and to score a goal at the Euros.

It is not just potential, he is already one of the most exciting players in the world.

Former Spain midfielder Juan Mata, working on BBC One, said: “I was having dinner yesterday with [Barcelona boss] Xavi and he told me he hasn’t seen a player of this quality.”

That is the Xavi who played alongside the legendary Messi at Barcelona.

“I don’t like to make comparisons between players or compare them with Messi, but I think the sky is the limit for this kid,” added Mata.

So what has Barcelona winger Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday, achieved so far in his career – and why is it so special?

How rare has Yamal’s breakthrough been?

Before turning 17, Yamal had played 51 times for Barcelona, scoring seven goals and setting up another seven.

For Spain he now has 14 appearances, three goals and seven assists.

By comparison, neither Argentina’s Messi nor Portugal’s Ronaldo – the two greatest players of this generation – had played a single first-team game for club or country when they were 16.

And when we look at the players expected to replace Messi and Ronaldo as Ballon d’Or rivals in the future – France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland – their stats at this age cannot compare to Yamal either.

Mbappe had played four games for Monaco, making one assist before turning 17, while Haaland had played 23 times in Norway for second-tier Bryne and top-flight Molde, scoring once.

Even one of the most famous players to make their breakthrough at 16, Wayne Rooney, had only played 10 times for Everton and scored three goals before reaching 17.

The club records Yamal has broken

Not all of Yamal’s appearances have come aged 16… because he was even younger when he made his Barcelona debut.

At 15 years and 290 days he became Barcelona’s youngest player in the La Liga era when he replaced Gavi with six minutes to go in a 4-0 win over Real Betis on 29 April 2023.

On 20 August, aged 16 years and 38 days, he became the youngest player since 1939 to start a La Liga game when he lined up in a 2-0 win over Cadiz.

Just a week later he became the youngest player to assist a La Liga goal in the 21st century when he crossed for Gavi to head in during a 4-3 win at Villarreal.

He became the youngest player to start a game in the Champions League, at 16 and 83 days, in a 1-0 win at Porto on 4 October.

Four days later he became the youngest goalscorer in La Liga history when he netted in the first half of a 2-2 draw at Granada.

He became the youngest player to play in El Clasico, the youngest to set up a Champions League goal, aged 16 years and 153 days at Antwerp, and the youngest player and scorer in the Spanish Super Cup.

Yamal also became the youngest player to score in the Spanish Cup this century, the youngest to score twice in a La Liga game, the youngest player in a Champions League knockout game and then a quarter-final.

Unsurprisingly he is the youngest player to make 50 appearances for Barcelona and the youngest to play 10 Champions League games.