| Date of Birth | July 13, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth | Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain |
| Citizenship | Spain |
| Height | 179 cm |
| Weight | 72 kg |
BIOGRAPHY
At the age of four, Yamal began playing football for the local club La Torreta, and at six he was noticed by Barcelona scouts and invited to train at the La Masia academy. In 2014, he officially became part of the club’s system and moved to Barcelona for education and training. In his youth, his idols were Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, and Neymar.
By 2022, Yamal was considered one of the brightest talents of the academy. He played for Juvenil A, and in September 2022 he began training with the first team at the invitation of Xavi.
On April 29, 2023, Yamal made his debut for Barcelona’s senior team in a La Liga match against Real Betis, becoming one of the youngest players in the club’s history. By the 2023/24 season, he had firmly established himself in the first team.
In the Spanish championship, he set a series of age-related records:
- youngest starting player in Barcelona history,
- youngest goalscorer for the club in La Liga,
- youngest participant and goalscorer in El Clásico,
- youngest player with 10+ goal contributions in a La Liga season.
In the UEFA Champions League, Yamal also broke age records — becoming one of the youngest participants in the tournament, the youngest starter, and the youngest player to appear in the knockout stage.
The 2024/25 season became a breakthrough in terms of status: he played a key role in Barcelona’s domestic treble — winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. In October 2024, he became the youngest goalscorer in El Clásico history, scoring at the Santiago Bernabéu.
In April 2025, he made his 100th appearance for the club, and at the end of the year he finished second in the 2025 Ballon d'Or voting. Previously, he had won the Kopa Trophy twice in a row (2024 and 2025) — the award for the best young player in the world — becoming the first footballer to achieve this feat twice.
In May 2025, Yamal signed a long-term contract with Barcelona until 2031, and in July he received the legendary number 10 shirt. In the very first match of the new season, he marked the occasion with a goal.
At the international level, Yamal progressed through all Spanish youth national teams and made his senior debut in 2023, becoming the youngest player and goalscorer in the history of the Spanish national team.
At Euro 2024, he became one of the main sensations of the tournament:
- youngest player in the European Championship,
- youngest goalscorer in tournament history,
- youngest finalist,
- Best Young Player of the tournament.
Spain won Euro 2024, and Yamal became the youngest footballer to win this trophy.
Today, Lamine Yamal is considered one of the strongest young players in the world — thanks to his dribbling, vision, ability to create chances, and trademark curling long-range shots.
PERSONAL LIFE
Lamine Yamal grew up in Catalonia in a family with Moroccan and Equatoguinean roots. His parents separated when he was three years old, but both continued to take part in his upbringing. Yamal has a younger half-brother, Keyne (born in 2022), and a younger half-sister, Baraa.
On August 14, 2024, his father was stabbed in a parking lot in Mataró. The injuries were not serious, and he was discharged from the hospital a few days later. Police detained four suspects.
In 2025, Lamine was briefly in a relationship with Argentine singer Nicki Nicole. In the autumn of the same year, the couple separated.
In July 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights contacted the prosecutor’s office requesting verification of reports that people with dwarfism performed at his 18th birthday celebration. The story caused public resonance and became widely discussed in Spanish media.
INTERESTING FACTS
- The “304” gesture is more than just a celebration. After scoring, Yamal shows the number 304 — the last digits of the postal code of his home district Rocafonda (08304). Thanks to his popularity, this number has become a recognizable symbol of the area.
- Captain of Catalonia from age 11. He wore the captain’s armband at all levels of the Catalan national team — U-12, U-14, and U-16.
- 100 matches for Barcelona before turning 18. He played his 100th match for the club in the Champions League semifinal against Inter.
- Superstar-level contract at 18. His long-term agreement with Barcelona could potentially exceed $45 million per year including bonuses and payments.
- Two-time Kopa Trophy winner. He became the first player to win the award for the best young footballer in the world two years in a row.
- Considered the best teenager of his generation. A number of experts and media outlets have called him the strongest teenage player in modern football history.
