2023: The year of Lamine Yamal

Life has totally changed for Lamine Yamal in  2023. He started it as one of many promising youngsters at La Masia, and he has ended it as one of the most talked-about teenage footballers on the planet. 

It is easy to forget that he is still only 16 years old. His skill and tactical awareness bely his youth, and so do his stats. People of his stage don't usually have any professional football experience to their name. Let alone experience at the very highest level. But then, Lamine Yamal is no ordinary 16-year old. 

Youngest Barça debutant

Yamal played his first senior game when he came on for the last few minutes against Betis towards the end of last season. Aged just 15 years, 9 months and 25 days, that made him Barça's youngest debutant of all time. 

Youngest Barça starter

After the summer, and with Barça now playing home games at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, August 20 was the day he became the youngest player ever to be named in a Barça starting line-up, on the day of the 2-0 win over Cádiz. He also became the youngest player to start a Liga match this century... not just for Barça, but for anyone. 

Youngest Liga assist

Against Villarreal on August 27, a pinpoint pass to Gavi, which the latter converted, made him the youngest player ever to give a Liga assist since records in this particular statistical category began around the turn of the century. 

Second youngest Champions League debutant

On September 19, he became the second youngest player ever to play Europe's premier club competition. Only Youssoufa Moukoko of Dortmund was younger. In doing so, Yamal displaced his team-mate Ansu Fati, who was Barça's youngest UCL player until then. 

Youngest Champions League starter

He may not be the youngest to play, but against Porto on October 4, he did become the youngest to actually start a game in the competition. 

Youngest Liga goalscorer

On October 8, Lamine Yamal scored his first league goal for Barça against Granada, thus beating a record held by Fabrice Olinga (Málaga) that many had thought could never be topped. And he did it just in the nick of time, for by the time of the next fixture, Yamal would have been older than Olinga was when he netted his historic goal.

Youngest Clásico player

On October 28, he beat another decades-old record when he played against Real Madrid. Before him, the youngest player to do so had been Vicenç Martínez, also of Barça.

Records for Spain too

Lamine Yamal's progress did not go unnoticed by the Spanish selectors, and this year of 2023 he has also earned his first international cap. And, yes, that makes him the youngest player ever to play for Spain. Not only that, but he also became the youngest player to score for Spain, netting on his debut and thus beating a record that had only been recently set by his friend and club colleague Gavi.

What a 2023 it's been for Lamine Yamal. And there are other records that he could yet top in 2024. A very, very special player indeed.