Heir to Lionel Messi? The incredible rise of Barcelona and Spain sensation Lamine Yamal

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Youngest Euros scorer 

Adrien Rabiot brazenly challenged Lamine Yamal ahead of France’s Euro 2024 semi-final against Spain and the teenage sensation answered in style. Rabiot called on the Barcelona starlet to ‘show more’ amid considerable hype but Yamal did his talking on the pitch. 

With Spain trailing to Randal Kolo Muani’s early opener in Munich, Yamal stepped up to silence Rabiot with an outrageous effort into the top corner to drag his country level – aged just 16. The stunning strike made Yamal the youngest ever goalscorer in European Championship history by almost 18 months. But the winger’s impact in Germany this summer is no surprise to those who’ve tracked his development through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy. Yamal is undisputedly a generational talent and he could end his breakthrough season by winning Euro 2024 – the day after his 17th birthday. 

The incredible rise of Lamine Yamal 

Yamal became Barcelona’s youngest player in 100 years when Xavi handed him his debut aged just 15 years and nine months against Real Betis in April 2023 and that started his exponential rise. He featured in all but one La Liga game last season, scoring five goals and providing eight assists. The records tumbled for the wonderkid during his breakthrough campaign as he became Barcelona and La Liga’s youngest ever scorer, the youngest Barcelona player to face Real Madrid and the youngest player to feature in the Champions League knockout stages. 

As the graphic above illustrates, Yamal is the most valuable teenager in the world at €90 million and his market value skyrocketed last season. The 16-year-old gained his first market value on Transfermarkt of €25m in August 2023 and it rose by €65m across the course of last season. Yamal’s valuation is only heading in one direction and he’s already the most valuable Barcelona player and second most valuable Spanish player behind Rodri.

Lamine Yamal’s stunning Euro 2024 with Spain

Luis de la Fuente made Yamal the youngest ever Spain international when he debuted against Georgia in September 2023. And the winger broke his Barcelona teammate Gavi’s record as youngest ever goalscorer by netting on debut in that game. Yamal has quickly became an important player in La Fuente’s side and he’s afforded the freedom to roam from the right flank and drift infield on his left foot. 

Yamal’s astonishing goal against France was his highlight of the Euros but he’s displayed quality throughout after becoming the youngest player in the competition’s history in Spain’s first group game against Croatia. Yamal has the most assists at the Euros with three, including a vital assist in the dramatic quarter-final win over Germany. Spain have been the outstanding team of the tournament so far with Aymeric Laporte rolling back the years, Rodri and Fabián Ruiz have controlled midfield while Dani Olmo has been a revelation since coming into the side, but Yamal is their superstar.

The heir to Lionel Messi at Barcelona? 

Barcelona view Yamal as the most talented player to come through their academy since Messi. The Catalonia giants have been plagued by financial problems but they have the most valuable collection of U21 players in the world and Yamal represents the future alongside Pedri, Gavi and Pau Cubarsí. Images of Messi cradling a young Yamal have gone viral across social media but parallels exist between both players’ careers, including their impact at their first ever international tournaments – as the graphic below shows.