Every Major Record Lamine Yamal Holds Right Now

It feels safe to say that Lamine Yamal is, without question, the brightest young talent currently in world football. A product of the famous La Masia youth academy of Barcelona, Yamal spent nine years working his way through the ranks before making his senior debut in 2023. Since that moment, the winger has seemingly gone from strength to strength. While he is still the most exciting prospect in the game, it would not be out of place to say that Yamal is also one of the best wingers in the world at the time of writing, given the form and ability that he has shown.

It can be easy to forget how young Yamal actually is, given that he is already a mainstay within the Barcelona first team, which is no easy feat for any player, let alone a teenager. So, with all of this being said, what major records are currently held by Yamal, the latest recipient of the Kopa Trophy?

Youngest Player to Start a La Liga Game

16 years and 38 days old

The 2023/24 season, a term that would prove to spell the end for former player Xavi as manager of the club, saw a tougher start than what was expected for Barcelona, who drew with Getafe away from home in a game that saw both sides receive a red card. A week later, Barcelona played in their first La Liga home match of the campaign.

It was a game against Cadiz, that Barca would ultimately go on to win 2-0 courtesy of Pedri and Ferran Torres scoring a goal each. The game has gone down in history, however, as it marked Lamine Yamal’s first start for the Catalan side at just 16 years and 38 days old, Barca’s youngest-ever debutant in the current century.

Youngest Player to Provide a La Liga Assist

16 years and 45 days old

Just one week after he became the youngest starter in La Liga history, Yamal retained his place in the starting 11 when Barcelona travelled to the Estadio de la Ceramica to face Villarreal. The match proved to be a seven-goal thriller, with Barca running out as 4-3 winners having first been 2-0 up before Villarreal scored three goals of their own without reply until a three-minute flurry in which Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski restored Barca’s lead.

For Barca’s first goal, Gavi was the scorer, heading the ball beyond Filip Jorgensen in the Villarreal goal after a pinpoint Yamal cross. With this assist, Yamal added another record to his resume, that of being the youngest player in the 21st century to notch an assist in La Liga.

Youngest Debutant and Scorer for Spain

16 years and 57 days old

Having enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign, Yamal found himself called up to the Spanish national side for the first time at just 16 years old. Facing Georgia in a Euro 2024 qualifier, Yamal came on for Dani Olmo just moments before the half-time whistle, becoming the youngest player to ever appear for Spain.

In the 74th minute, when Yamal scored Spain’s seventh goal of what was a 7-1 thrashing, not only had he scored on his debut, but he became the youngest ever scorer for the Spanish national side as well. Both records he had taken from Barcelona teammate Gavi, who himself had only set them in the 2020s.

Youngest Barcelona Debutant in the Champions League

16 years and 68 days old

The 2023/24 Champions League, the final Champions League that maintained the traditional group stage structure, began for Barcelona with a home game against Belgian side Royal Antwerp. Yamal, having made a strong start to the season, was brought on from the bench just before the 70th minute to replace Joao Felix.

Yamal would play for around 25 minutes and in doing so, surpassed Ansu Fati as the youngest player to ever represent Barcelona in the Champions League. Somewhat remarkably, however, Yamal is not the youngest Champions League player of all time. That record belongs to Youssoufa Moukoko, the Borussia Dortmund striker on loan at OGC Nice at the time of writing.

Youngest Champions League Starter

16 years and 83 days old

Having already become Barcelona’s youngest-ever Champions League player, just 15 days after setting that record, the Catalonian side travelled to Portugal to face Porto in their second group stage game of the tournament that season. Yamal started the game, becoming the youngest player to start a Champions League match.

In doing so, Yamal broke a record that had stood for almost three decades, when Celestine Babayaro started a Champions League tie for Anderlecht in 1994. Yamal was just three days younger than Babyaro and therefore set a record that, one would assume, will stand for some time yet.

Youngest Barcelona and La Liga Scorer

16 years and 87 days old

Despite starting against Porto in Europe just four days prior to Barcelona’s league clash away at Granada, Yamal retained his place in the starting lineup for the game after his strong performance. As ever, his age never seemed to phase him throughout his performance, though his team struggled to begin with, seeing themselves 2-0 down after a Bryan Zaragoza brace for the hosts.

On the cusp of the half-time whistle, Yamal was on the receiving end of a pass from Joao Felix, leaving him with little to do but tap the ball into the net. In doing so, Yamal became not only Barcelona’s youngest La Liga goalscorer, but the youngest scorer in the league overall, beating the record of former Malaga player Fabrice Olinga by 11 days as Barca battled back to draw 2-2.

Youngest Player to Play in El Clasico

16 years and 107 days old

The first El Clasico of the 2024/25 season was an exceptional one for Barcelona, winning 4-0 at the home of their bitter rivals, Real Madrid, a game in which Yamal scored a goal. This, though, was not his first experience of the renowned derby.

In the first clash between Barcelona and Madrid of the 2023/24 campaign, Barcelona fell to a 2-1 defeat at home, with Jude Bellingham’s brace overturning Ilkay Gundogan’s early strike for the hosts. In the 76th minute, Yamal replaced Joao Cancelo and in doing so, became the youngest-ever El Clasico player.

Yamal, however, is not the youngest player to start in the famous derby, however. That record still belongs to Vicenc Martinez, who played for Barcelona in the early 1940s. By the next El Clasico of the 2023/24 term, Yamal was starting, but by that point was older than Martinez had been on the day of his Clasico bow.

Youngest Assist Provider in the Champions League

16 years and 153 days old

Having thrashed Antwerp in the reverse fixture, Barcelona will have been stunned when, playing them away from home in December, they found themselves 1-0 down inside the opening two minutes after Arthur Vermeeren scored for the Belgians. Before half-time, however, Barcelona would find an equaliser through Ferran Torres.

Torres’ goal was set up by none other than Yamal who, in doing so, became the youngest player to notch an assist in Champions League history, surpassing a record previously set by fellow La Masia graduate Bojan Krkic. Unfortunately for Yamal and Barcelona, however, Antwerp would go on and win the game 3-2, but that takes nothing away from yet another impressive record set by the winger.

Youngest Player to Make 50 Appearances for Barcelona

16 years and 311 days old

By May earlier this year, it was clear that the league had gotten away from Barcelona. Real Madrid had won the division and Xavi’s eventual departure was dominating conversations. For Yamal, however, it had been a season of breaking records, which didn’t change regardless of Barca’s fortunes.

On the 19th May, when Barcelona played Rayo Vallecano in the league, Yamal appeared in what was his 50th game for the Catalonian side, despite the fact he had not even turned 17 by that point. In reaching that milestone, he surpassed yet another record that had been set by Bojan Krkic 16 years prior.

Youngest Assist Provider and Goalscorer at the Euros

16 and 339 days old, and 16 years and 362 days old

After a true breakout season for Barcelona and Spain alike, it hardly came as a surprise when Luis de la Fuente announced that Yamal would be part of the Spain team he was taking to the 2024 Euros in Germany. 28 days shy of his 17th birthday, Yamal became the youngest-ever player in the Euros when he appeared against Croatia in the group stages.

As the tournament progressed, so did Yamal’s seemingly inevitable knack for breaking records. In that group stage game against Croatia, he became the youngest assist provider in Euros history after setting up Dani Carvajal’s goal, the third in a 3-0 win.

Spain pushed on in the Euros and faced France in the semi-finals, during which Yamal, now just four days away from turning 17, rifled a gorgeous curling shot beyond Mike Maignan to level the match that Spain went on to win 2-1. In doing so, Yamal too became the youngest-ever scorer of a goal in Euros history.

Youngest Player to Play in and Win A Euros Final

17 years and 1 day old

The Euro 2024 final saw Spain face England in Berlin and it was Spain that opened the scoring, with Nico Williams benefitting from a well-placed and almost expected assist from Yamal soon after the second half began. Cole Palmer went on to net an equalising goal just shy of the 75th minute but, with just four minutes of regular time remaining, Mikel Oyarzabal scored to elate the Spanish supporters and devastate the England faithful.

Yamal, in starting the game played a day after he turned 17, became the youngest player to appear in a Euros final and upon the full-time whistle, had become the youngest-ever player to enjoy winning a Euros tournament and to win a major international trophy overall. Brazilian icon Pele was almost 250 days older when he won the 1958 World Cup than Yamal was earlier this year.

Youngest El Clasico Goalscorer

17 years and 106 days old

Now under the guidance of former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Hansi Flick, Barcelona enjoyed a roaring start to the 2024/25 La Liga season, losing just one of their first 11 games and winning the rest, holding a six-point lead over Real Madrid at the time of writing.

The first meeting of the season between the sides in October 2024 saw Barcelona run rampant at the Bernabeu, thrashing their rivals 4-0 on their own patch. Yamal netted the third of Barca’s four goals and in doing so became the youngest goalscorer in a Clasico match, beating a record set by teammate Ansu Fati earlier in his career.

(All stats are from the official Barcelona website and are correct as of 29/10/2024)