In the European Championship qualifying match against Georgia on Friday, Barcelona’s young forward, Lamine Yamal, made history by becoming the youngest player ever to represent and score for Spain’s senior men’s national team.
At just 16 years and 57 days old, Yamal broke the previous record held by his Barcelona teammate, Gavi, who had made his debut for La Roja at the age of 17 years and 62 days in 2021.
π½οΈ – Lamine Yamal's goal against Georgia. πͺπΈπpic.twitter.com/XZPowWOzRK
— BarΓ§a Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) September 8, 2023
The top five youngest players to don the Spanish national team jersey also include Angel Zubieta (17 years and 284 days), Ansu Fati (17 years and 208 days), and Bojan Krkic (18 years and 13 days).
Yamal wasted no time in leaving his mark on the game after coming on as a substitute in the 44th minute against Georgia. In the 74th minute, he found the back of the net, securing his place in history as Spain’s youngest-ever goal scorer.
LAMINE YAMAL WHAT A GOAL FOR SPAIN!pic.twitter.com/u8CLqy3u4T
— π (@ItsAayan_69) September 8, 2023
Notably, he also claimed the record for the youngest player to score in European Championship qualifying, surpassing the previous record held by Wales legend Gareth Bale, who achieved the feat at the age of 17 years and 83 days.
While Yamal is eligible to play for Morocco and Equatorial Guinea due to his parents’ heritage, he has consistently represented Spain, his country of birth, at the youth level. His decision to commit to the senior side was finalized at the end of August following discussions with officials from the Royal Spanish Football Federation, which took place in Barcelona.
Yamal’s remarkable journey in the world of football has been nothing short of extraordinary this year. He made history as the youngest player ever to feature in La Liga for Barcelona when he made his debut for the club in April, still at the tender age of 15.
Just a week later, Lamine Yamal further etched his name in the record books by becoming the youngest player to ever grace the field for Barcelona’s B team. His outstanding performances earned him a spot on Barcelona’s preseason tour of the United States, under the watchful eye of coach Xavi Hernandez.
Since then, he has continued to impress, making a significant impact in the team’s 4-3 victory against Villarreal last month, where he was recognized with the player of the match award.
