Lamine Yamal
Spanish footballer (born 2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana[A] (born 13 July 2007), commonly known as Lamine Yamal, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for the La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. Widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, he is known for his dribbling and playmaking ability.[citation needed]
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Yamal with Spain in 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 July 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Winger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Barcelona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | La Torreta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2023 | Barcelona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Barcelona B | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Barcelona | 101 | (30) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Spain U15 | 6 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Spain U16 | 4 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Spain U17 | 10 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Spain U19 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Spain | 33 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:11, 22 April 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22:10, 19 July 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Yamal[B] was a member of Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, before joining the first team in the 2023–24 season. At age 17, he became the youngest player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or, and in 2024 and 2025 he won the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young player in the world. Under manager Hansi Flick, Yamal emerged as a key player for Barcelona, helping the club win a domestic treble in the 2024–25 season: La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España. At 18 years old, Yamal finished as runner-up for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Barcelona retained the La Liga title in the 2025–26 season, with Yamal being named La Liga Player of the Season.
Yamal has represented Spain internationally at various youth levels and made his debut for the senior team in 2023, becoming the youngest player to represent the country at age 16. In 2024, he became the youngest player to score in the UEFA European Championship, earning the Young Player Award as Spain achieved their fourth title.[6] At Yamal's FIFA World Cup debut in 2026, he won his first World Cup title.
Early life
Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana was born on 13 July 2007, in Esplugues de Llobregat in the Barcelona metropolitan area in Catalonia.[7][8] Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, is from a village between Larache and Ksar el-Kebir in Morocco.[9] His mother, Sheila Ebana, is from Bata, Equatorial Guinea.[C] Yamal has a younger half-brother and a younger half-sister.[13][14] He has a compound given name to honour two family friends, Lamine and Yamal, who helped his parents financially shortly before Yamal was born.[15] As a baby he was featured in a 2007 UNICEF charity photo shoot with his future club Barcelona, during which he was bathed by a 20-year-old Lionel Messi. The photos went viral online in 2024 after Yamal's father posted one of them online. Two years later, the photos received additional attention in the media as Yamal and Messi prepared to face each other in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.[D]
An important figure in Yamal's upbringing was his paternal grandmother, Fatima, who migrated from Tangier, Morocco, to Spain in 1990.[19] Facing financial hardship, she worked to anchor the family in Rocafonda, a neighbourhood in the city of Mataró in Catalonia. When Yamal's parents separated during his early childhood, Fatima took on a vital role in raising him, managing his daily routine and ensuring he could attend training sessions.[20] Yamal started playing football at the age of four at local club La Torreta in Granollers, where his mother was living.[21][22] He alternated between Mataró and Granollers to spend time with both his parents.[23] His goal celebrations include a hand gesture indicating the number 304, the last three digits of the Rocafonda postcode 08304. Following his success, his popularisation of the number has been credited with bringing pride and recognition to the working class community of Rocafonda.[24][25]
At six years old, Yamal was scouted by Barcelona and was invited to training sessions at La Masia. He signed for the club in 2014 and moved to Barcelona to live and train at the academy.[11][26] Growing up, Yamal's footballing idols were Ronaldinho, Messi and Neymar.[27]
Club career
Youth career
As Yamal progressed through the ranks of Barcelona's La Masia youth academy, he was soon considered one of its best prospects.[26] Initially added to the Juvenil A team – already above his age grade – for the 2022–23 season,[28] Yamal was selected by Xavi to train with the first team along with other young players in early September 2022.[E] He made his first-team debut on 29 April 2023, replacing Gavi in the 83rd minute of a 4–0 victory against Real Betis in La Liga, in which he registered a shot on target.[32] At 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, he was the youngest player to appear for Barcelona's first team since the 15-year-old Armando Sagi in 1922.[33] On 14 May 2023, Yamal was a member of the Barcelona squad that won the 2022–23 La Liga championship.[34]
2023–24: First team breakthrough
Although Yamal remained on Barcelona's reserve team throughout the 2023–24 season,[35] he earned his first start for the club on 20 August 2023 during a 2–0 victory over Cádiz at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.[36][37] He became the youngest Barcelona starter in history,[36] and was met with a standing ovation.[38] In his next starting appearance, he was named Man of the Match after providing two assists during a 4–3 victory over Villarreal on 28 August.[39][40] He was named the inaugural U23 Player of the Month for August as a result of his performances.[41] On 19 September, Yamal made his Champions League debut in a 5–0 victory over Royal Antwerp, becoming the second-youngest player in history to play in the tournament.[42][42] On 2 October, he extended his contract with Barcelona until 2026, with a buyout clause of €1 billion.[43] The following week, he scored his first senior goal during a 2–2 draw with Granada.[44][45] In early December, Yamal was given the inaugural Golden Boy The Youngest trophy, which is awarded to the youngest player nominated for the Golden Boy award.[46][47]
On 11 January 2024, Yamal scored in a 2–0 win over Osasuna in the semi-final of the Supercopa de España, becoming the youngest player to score in the Supercopa, at 16 years and 182 days old.[48] Two weeks later, he scored in the Copa del Rey quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao in an eventual 4–2 loss after extra time, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the competition's history.[49] On 11 February, Yamal scored his first brace in a 3–3 draw against Granada, and was named Man of the Match.[50] At the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Barcelona finished second in La Liga and were eliminated from Champions League contention in the quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Yamal served an assist against PSG in the second leg, which Barcelona lost 4–1.[51][52]
2024–25: 100th appearance for Barcelona and second Kopa Trophy
In the first match of the 2024–25 La Liga season on 18 August, Yamal served an assist to help Barcelona defeat Valencia 2–1.[53] In the following match against Athletic Bilbao on 24 August, he scored his first goal of the season in another 2–1 victory.[54] On 19 September, he scored his first Champions League goal during a 2–1 loss to Monaco in the Champions League league phase, becoming the second-youngest scorer in Champions League history.[55][56] On 26 October, he became the youngest goalscorer in El Clásico history when he scored once in a 4-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. During the match, Yamal and his teammates Fati and Raphinha were targeted with racial abuse by a group of Real Madrid supporters.[57][58]
After scoring in a 5–0 win over Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on 6 February 2025, Yamal failed to score for over a month.[59] His goalscoring drought in La Liga ran from 26 October 2024 to 18 March 2025,[60][61] prompting former player Francesco Totti to label him a player who scores "few goals".[62] During this period, manager Hansi Flick defended Yamal, stating: "Everyone wants to score, but he creates a lot of chances. The important thing is that the team scores, not who scores."[63] On 30 April, Yamal made his 100th appearance for Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals against Inter Milan, scoring a goal in a 3–3 draw during the first leg. He was described by Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi as "a phenomenon born every 50 years".[64] In 2025, Yamal became the first player to win the Kopa Trophy twice, and he finished second in voting for the Ballon d’Or.[65]
2025–26: Long-term contract and first hat-trick
On 27 May 2025, Yamal agreed to his first long-term contract with Barcelona, tying him to the club until June 2031 and to be signed upon his eighteenth birthday.[66][67] The Athletic reported that his contract could potentially reach a value of $45.3 million per year gross—including wages, bonuses and contract fees—making him one of Barcelona's top-paid players.[68] At the contract signing event on 16 July, Yamal was presented with Barcelona's number 10 shirt.[69] On 28 February 2026, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Villarreal.[70] In late April, he suffered a torn hamstring, which sidelined him for the rest of the 2025–26 season.[71] He finished the season as the club's top scorer, with 24 goals and 17 assists in all competitions, including 16 goals and 11 assists in La Liga.[72]
International career
Catalonia
Yamal played for youth teams of the Catalonia national football team from a young age. He was the captain of the under-12, under-14 and under-16 teams.[73][74] While playing for the U16 team in November 2022, he scored in a match against Castile and León.[75] Later that month he scored from a penalty, provided an assist, and received a red card in a 2–2 draw with Aragon that sent Catalonia through to the "Fase d'Or" of the 2022–23 Spanish regional team championship.[74] Yamal was not called up to the squad for the Fase d'Or in 2023.[76]
Spain
Yamal played for Spain's U15, U16 and U17 youth teams,[F] and scored four goals in the 2023 European U17 Championship.[79] In September 2023, he was called up to the senior international team for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.[80][81] He made his senior debut against Georgia on 8 September, scoring once in a 7–1 victory.[82] At the age of 16 years and 57 days old, he became the youngest player and goalscorer for Spain, breaking previous records held by Gavi.[83] He also became the youngest goalscorer in a Euro qualifying match, overtaking Gareth Bale.[82][84] Yamal was called back to the Spain squad in October 2023 for the remaining Euro qualifying matches against Scotland and Norway.[85][86] Spain won both matches and qualified for Euro 2024.[87]
Euro 2024 champion
On 7 June 2024, Yamal was selected for the 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.[88] On 15 June, he became the youngest player to appear in the competition, at age 16 years and 338 days.[89] During a match against Croatia, he set up Dani Carvajal's goal in a 3–0 victory, becoming the youngest player to provide an assist in the tournament's history.[90] In the round of 16 match against Georgia, he provided another assist in a 4–1 victory.[91]
Yamal provided an assist against Germany in a 2–1 quarter-final win, tying the Spain national team record of three assists in a single Euro tournament.[92] In Spain's 2–1 semi-final victory over France, he scored with a curling shot from outside the penalty area, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Euro tournament history four days before his 17th birthday. His goal was named the goal of the tournament.[G] During Spain's 2–1 victory against England in the final, Yamal served his fourth assist of the tournament to Nico Williams for Spain's first goal, becoming the joint top assist provider for a single Euro tournament.[96] Yamal became the youngest player to win the Euros and was named Young Player of the Tournament.[H] In the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, Yamal scored two goals in a 5–4 semi-final victory against France.[100]
2026 World Cup champion
On 25 May 2026, Yamal was named to the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[101] He arrived in the United States as he was recovering from a biceps femoris injury that he suffered during the Barcelona season. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente decided that Yamal was not ready to start in the opening match against Cape Verde, instead sending him on as a substitute in the second half of the eventual 0–0 draw.[102] On 21 June, Yamal scored his first World Cup goal as Spain defeated Saudi Arabia 4–0 in the group stage, becoming the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opening goal in a World Cup match since Pelé in 1958.[103][104] He was named Man of the Match in Spain's 3–0 round of 32 win against Austria and its 2–1 quarter-final win against Belgium.[I] Spain later defeated Argentina in the final 1–0, with Yamal becoming the youngest player to win both the World Cup and the UEFA European Championship at 19 years and six days old.[J] He also became the third-youngest player to appear in or win a World Cup final after Pelé and Giuseppe Bergomi.[111] He completed 35 dribbles during the tournament, the most of any player.[112]
Player profile
A left-footed forward known for his 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.[K] His accurate crosses with the outside of his foot (known as trivelas) have become one of the trademarks of his game.[115]
With his technical profile, Yamal has been compared to Lionel Messi.[116] He has also drawn comparisons with Neymar due to their similar playing style that involves a lot of dribbling, flair and chance creation.[117] Yamal has stated that Neymar is a major influence on the way he plays.[118] Yamal was ranked as the second-best player in the world by The Guardian in 2025 and by GiveMeSport in 2026.[119][120] In 2024, La Vanguardia named him the best young player in the world.[121] In 2025, Goal described him as the greatest teenage footballer in history,[122] while ESPN ranked him as the best player in the world under 21 years of age.[123][124]
Personal life
Yamal is a Muslim and observes Ramadan, which requires him to fast from dawn until sunset for roughly a month, including on training and match days.[125][126]
Yamal was briefly in a relationship with Nicki Nicole, an Argentinian singer, though the two separated in October 2025.[127][128] Following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it was reported that he was in a relationship with Inés García.[129]
After Spain's friendly match with Egypt in Barcelona on 31 March 2026, Yamal condemned anti-Muslim and xenophobic chants against Egyptian players by Spanish fans.[130] He said the chants "were aimed at the opposing team and were not something personal against me, but as a Muslim, it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable."[131]
During a parade celebrating Barcelona's La Liga title victory on 11 May 2026, Yamal showed solidarity with Palestinians by waving a Palestinian flag. His action was praised by fans, pro-Palestinian activists, and the Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, while drawing criticism from Israel's defence minister Israel Katz.[L]
In June 2026, Yamal was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, focusing on children's right to play and supporting children living in humanitarian emergencies, such as conflicts or natural disasters.[135]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 22 April 2026[136]
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B | 2022–23 | Primera Federación | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Barcelona | 2022–23 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | La Liga | 37 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 10[b] | 0 | 2[c] | 1 | 50 | 7 | |
| 2024–25 | La Liga | 35 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 13[b] | 5 | 2[c] | 2 | 55 | 18 | |
| 2025–26 | La Liga | 28 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 10[b] | 6 | 2[c] | 0 | 45 | 24 | |
| Total | 101 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 33 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 151 | 49 | ||
| Career total | 102 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 33 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 154 | 49 | ||
- Appearances in Primeira Federación play-offs
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in Supercopa de España
International
- As of match played 19 July 2026[137]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2023 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2026 | 10 | 1 | |
| Total | 33 | 7 | |
- As of match played 21 June 2026.
- Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Yamal goal.[137]
| 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 |
| 3 | 9 July 2024 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | 13 |  France | 1–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 |
| 4 | 23 March 2025 | Mestalla, Valencia, Spain | 19 |  Netherlands | 3–2 | 3–3 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A |
| 5 | 5 June 2025 | MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany | 20 | France | 3–0 | 5–4 | 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals |
| 6 | 5–1 | ||||||
| 7 | 21 June 2026 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States | 27 |  Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup |
Honours
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2022–23,[138] 2024–25,[139] 2025–26[140]
- Copa del Rey: 2024–25[141]
- Supercopa de España: 2025,[142] 2026[143]
Spain
- FIFA World Cup: 2026[109]
- UEFA European Championship: 2024[144]
- UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2024–25[145]
Individual
- Ballon d’Or runner-up: 2025[146]
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2023[147]
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship top scorer: 2023 (4 goals)[148]
- UEFA European Championship top assist provider: 2024 (4 assists)[149]
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2024[150]
- UEFA European Championship Young Player of the Tournament: 2024[97]
- UEFA European Championship Goal of the Tournament: 2024[151]
- La Liga Player of the Season: 2025–26[152]
- La Liga U23 Player of the Season: 2023–24,[153] 2024–25[154]
- La Liga Player of the Month: September 2024,[155] November 2025,[156] December 2025,[157] April 2026[158]
- La Liga U23 Player of the Month: August 2023,[41] August 2024,[159] February 2025[160]
- La Liga Goal of the Month: March 2024[161]
- IFFHS Men's Player of the Month: April 2025[162]
- Golden Boy: 2024[163]
- Kopa Trophy: 2024,[164] 2025
- IFFHS Men's World's Best Youth Player: 2024,[165] 2025[166]
- Tuttosport's The Youngest Award: 2023[167]
- Globe Soccer Awards – Emerging Player: 2024 (Europe Edition),[168] 2024 (Dubai Edition)[169]
- Globe Soccer Awards Forward of the Year: 2025[170]
- Maradona Award: 2025[170]
- Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year: 2025[171]
- Laureus World Sports Award for Young Sportsperson of the Year : 2026.[172]
- FIFPRO World 11: 2025[173]
- FIFA Men's World 11: 2024,[174] 2025[175]
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2024,[176] 2025[177]
- IFFHS Men's UEFA Team: 2024[178]
- IFFHS Men's Youth (U20) World Team: 2024[179]
- IFFHS Men's Youth (U20) UEFA Team: 2023,[180] 2024[181]
- La Liga Team of the Season: 2024–25,[182] 2025–26[183]
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2024–25[184]
- The Athletic European Men's Young Player of the Season: 2024–25[185]
- The Athletic La Liga Team of the Season: 2024–25[185]
- UEFA Nations League Finals top scorer: 2025 (shared)
- Zarra Trophy: 2025–26[186]
See also
- Afro-Spaniards – Ethnic group in Spain
Notes
- Spanish pronunciation: [laˈmiɲ‿ɟʝaˈmal nasˈraɣwj‿eˈβana]; Catalan pronunciation: [ləˈmin jəˈmal nəzˈrawi əˈβanə]
- Publications such as The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Al Jazeera refer to him simply as "Yamal". Kyle Bonn of The Sporting News has written that it is improper to call him "Yamal", as it is not his surname.[2][3][4][5]
