- Born:
- July 13, 2007, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (age 19)
- Awards And Honors:
- FIFA World Cup (2026)
Lamine Yamal
What position does Lamine Yamal play?
What record did Lamine Yamal break at FC Barcelona?
What is the connection between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal?
How tall is Lamine Yamal?
Where is Lamine Yamal from?
What does Lamine Yamalâs celebratory gesture mean?
News •
Lamine Yamal (born July 13, 2007, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain) is a Spanish football (soccer) player who typically operates on the right flank as an âinvertedâ leftâfooted winger for FC Barcelona. Known for his close control, trickery with the ball, and passing range and creativity, Yamal is considered one of the sportâs most talented young stars.
Early life and club career
Yamalâs parents are Spanish immigrants: his father, Mounir Nasraoui, is from Morocco, and his mother, Sheila Ebana, is from Equatorial Guinea. As a child, Yamal first played organized football with local Spanish club CF La Torreta before joining La Masia, FC Barcelonaâs youth academy, in 2014. He progressed rapidly through age groups, frequently playing above his age and training with the first team as a teen.
On April 29, 2023, at 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, Yamal became the youngest player to debut for the FC Barcelona first team, breaking a record set in 1922. He was promoted to FC Barcelonaâs topflight squad for the 2023â24 season. In October 2023 he scored in a match against Spanish club Granada to become the youngest goal scorer in La Liga (Spanish football league) history. Yamal won the Kopa Trophy, awarded annually by sports magazine France Football in recognition of the best player in the world under 21 years old, in October 2024.
Yamal often celebrates scoring a goal with a special gesture in which he crosses his hands in front of his chest and forms the number â304â with his fingers. He uses the middle, ring, and little fingers of his left hand to signal the number â3,â forms a â0â with the thumb and index finger of the same hand, and uses the fingers of his right hand to signal the number â4.â The number refers to the last three digits of the postal code for Rocafonda, a district in the MatarĂł region of Spain, where he grew up. Yamal has trademarked the celebration gesture and incorporated the number into his various brand logos.
During the 2024â25 season he made 55 appearances for FC Barcelona and scored 18 goals and 25 assists in all competitions. In August 2025 he was named in the 30-player short list for the 2025 Ballon dâOr award. In September 2025 he became the first player to win the Kopa Trophy for the second year in a row. He also finished second in the final menâs Ballon dâOr rankings behind French footballer Ousmane DembĂ©lĂ©. Ahead of the 2025â26 season FC Barcelona confirmed that Yamal would take over the clubâs iconic numberâŻ10 jersey, which had previously been worn by the clubâs legendary forward Lionel Messi. In April 2026 Yamal suffered a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
International career
Yamal made his senior team debut for Spain on September 8, 2023, in a Euro 2024 (quadrennial football tournament featuring national European teams) qualifier match against Georgia. At 16 years and 57 days old, he became Spainâs youngest senior international and, by scoring in the 7â1 win, the countryâs youngest goal scorer. He was named Young Player of the Tournament and helped Spain win the Euro 2024 competition.
Lamine Yamal was called up for the Spanish squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup but did not play in Spainâs opening match against World Cup debutants Cabo Verde. In an unexpected result, Spain were held to a goalless draw by their opponent. Yamal scored his first World Cup goal in Spainâs second match, against Saudi Arabia, which Spain won 4â0. He played a crucial role in subsequent matches and was particularly praised for his creative play in the semifinal, in which Spain beat France 2â0. He started in the final and helped Spain beat Argentina 1â0 (after extra time) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.