On July 10, we reported that 16-year-old Lamine Yamal’s baby picture with Messi resurfaced after he became the youngest player ever to score in the Euro 2024 semi-final, in Spain’s match against France. Now, just few days into age 17, Yamal has won the EURO 2024 with Spain after beating England 2-1.
He has cemented his place in football history as the youngest-ever Euro or FIFA World Cup finalist. The Barcelona prodigy capped off a remarkable tournament by earning the Young Player of the Tournament award and a winners’ medal just one day after celebrating his 17th birthday.
Throughout the tournament in Germany, Yamal dazzled spectators and opponents alike with his skillful performances, breaking multiple age-related records along the way. His most dramatic contribution came in the semi-final against France, where he scored a stunning equalizer to become the youngest-ever goal scorer in Euro history.
Here are Yamal’s record-breaking achievements at EURO 2024 :
– Youngest Euro player: 16 years 338 days (Spain 3-0 Croatia, 15/06/2024)
– Youngest Euro scorer: 16 years 362 days (Spain 2-1 France, 09/07/2024)
– Youngest player to appear in a Euro or World Cup semi-final: 16 years 362 days
– Youngest player to appear in a Euro or World Cup final: 17 years 1 day (Spain 2-1 England, 14/07/2024)
The young star featured in all seven of Spain’s Euro 2024 matches, starting six and contributing one goal and four assists. His appearance in the final surpassed the previous record held by Portugal’s Renato Sanches, who was 18 years and 328 days old in the 2016 Euro final.
While Yamal narrowly missed breaking Pietro Anastasi’s record as the youngest Euro final scorer after being denied by England’s Jordan Pickford, his overall impact on the tournament was undeniable. His performances have drawn comparisons to other football prodigies, including Pelé, who remains the youngest World Cup finalist at 17 years and 249 days when he scored twice in Brazil’s 1958 triumph.
Yamal’s meteoric rise from Barcelona’s youth academy to European champion has captivated football fans worldwide and marks the emergence of a potential generational talent. As Spain celebrates its Euro 2024 victory, the football world eagerly anticipates what the future holds for this remarkable young player.
