FC Barcelona winners at the LALIGA Awards
A positive night for FC Barcelona at the LALIGA Awards, at an event shared with the KAFD Globe Soccer Awards – Europe edition, which came from the wonderful Italian island of Sardinia. The stars were out in force at the Hotel Cala di Volpe, where Barça Women, Lamine Yamal, İlkay Gündoğan, Robert Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo were all honoured.
Lamine Yamal, best U-23 player
Barça won the best U-23 player category at the LALIGA awards through a La Masia graduate who shone brightly this season. It was none other than Lamine Yamal, who has had a key role in Xavi's side and broken many records as youngest player.
Lamine Yamal's trickery has both endeared him to blaugrana fans and led him to win awards. The landmarks of being youngest to score in LaLiga, youngest to score a brace in LaLiga, and youngest to provide an assist in LaLiga helped the blaugrana winger scoop the award. Lamine Yamal played 36 games scoring 5 goals during this 2023/24 LaLiga season and his award was collected on his behalf by FC Barcelona vice-president Elena Fort.
There was still another award to come from the young blaugrana star, though, as he was soon to be announced as the winner of the "Emerging Player" award at the KAFD Globe Soccer Awards – Europe edition, outdoing other young talents like Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Rico Lewis, Kobbie Mainoo, Jamal Musiala, João Neves, Cole Palmer, Warren Zaïre-Emery and another blaugrana in Pau Cubarsí.
Gundo, Lewy and Araujo in TOTS
The Uruguyan defender, the German midfielder and the Polish striker had already been named in the LaLiga 'Team Of The Season', as announced on May 17. Today saw both Lewandowski and Gündoğan receive their awards on the Italian island, accompanied by FC Barcelona Vice-president for the Sporting Area Rafa Yuste.
Holding his award, Robert Lewandowski explained that he felt "very proud" to receive it. When Gündoğan was asked about his first season in Spanish football, he explained that "the season has involved many emotional and physical highs and lows" but he went on to say that "I have learned a lot, about myself too, and I have really enjoyed this first season."
FC Barcelona, best women's club
They just keep making history. Winning the Champions League in a San Mamés stadium awash with blaugrana completed another superb season for FC Barcelona Women. The quadruple of the Liga F, Copa de La Reina, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup proved pivotal in being named best women's club. The director responsible for women's football Xavi Puig collected the award on their behalf, presented during the first edition of the KAFD Globe Soccer Awards – Europe edition. The award means Barça Women also won a "Road to Dubai" medal, alongside all the other Globe Soccer - Europe edition award winners, who will all now go on to compete at the global event.