SPANISH GOLD
Spain wonderkid Lamine Yamal has taken Euro 2024 by storm, was once cradled by Lionel Messi and has £1bn release clause
Since Yamal made his debut for the Catalans last year, his rise has been rapid
LAMINE YAMAL may be only 16 but he is putting in performances well beyond his years.
The Spain wonderkid continued his rise with a stunning goal against France in the Euro 2024 semi-final.
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While he already leads the assists table with three from his five games in the competition.
Alongside Arsenal and Chelsea target Nico Williams, he has provided his country's attacking threat from the wings - which England will have to be wary of in Sunday's Euros final showpiece
And let's not forget he's done this all alongside his school work.
Yamal revealed: "I’ve brought my homework with me because I’m finishing high school. I have classes on the web and I’m doing well, I hope the teacher doesn’t fail me."
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It's no wonder that PSG are considering smashing the previous world transfer record they set when they paid £199million for Neymar on the teenage sensation.
At just 15, Yamal made his debut for Barcelona in LaLiga - coming off the bench for a lively cameo.
In doing so, he became the Catalan giants' youngest ever player this century.
And Yamal keeps on breaking the standards.
Most read in Euro 2024
He is Spain's youngest ever goalscorer, and the youngest player to play at the Euros in the 64-year history of the competition.
His story begins as a Barcelona native.
Lamine Yamal explains cheeky message he did in Spain v France Euro 2024 match
Growing up
Born to a Moroccan father and Guinean mother, Yamal grew up in the suburb of Mataro.
He is fiercely proud of his roots - donning the flags of both of those countries on his Adidas F50 boots, the same worn by his idol Lionel Messi, who he has been compared to, and told GQ that the same people who call him the 'next Messi' are also likely to criticise him.
Incredibly, Messi and Yamal crossed paths when he was just six months old, after his parents bagged a charity calendar photoshoot with the Argentina and Barca great.
A baby Yamal was lovingly held by the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, just 20 himself at the time, before being given a BATH.
Yamal's mum and dad split when he was a young boy, so he divided his time between two homes - using a train pass to get around.
However, he was always drawn to his mother's cooking - and his favourite dish, rice with peanut sauce.
A love of his grandma's pastries is also another guilty pleasure.
Getting scouted
Yamal was scouted by La Masia talent spotters at the age of just five.
Such was his talent early on, he would play for three age groups as his development was carefully managed.
The winger progressed through the ranks - standing out for the U16 side aged just 13.
He tore through the youth league with ease, with the club very aware of the unique talent they had on their hands.
In 2022, he skipped an entire age group to play for the U19 side, where he continued to blossom.
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"He is always asking questions, he has a very good predisposition to evolve. You have to treat him calmly and not rush," his former youth coach Oscar Lopez revealed.
By that point, ex-Barça boss Xavi deemed the prodigy good enough to train with the first team squad - integrating the generational talent into his sessions.
It was a matter of time when the LaLiga giants couldn't hold Yamal back anymore and had to unleash him into the world.
Making his debut
On 29 April, 2023, fans were given their first glimpse of Yamal as he made his debut for the club against Real Betis.
Aged just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days he ran onto the pitch in the 83rd minute to replace another wonderkid, Gavi with the score at 4-0.
The wide forward became the youngest player to appear for Barcelona's first team since the 15-year-old Armando Sagi in 1922, over a century before.
And he soon made an impact. In those limited minutes on the pitch, Yamal registered a shot at Betis' goal.
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He also would have had an assist, if not for better finishing from a teammate.
At the final whistle, his former coach's words echoed what the fans saw.
"I told him to try things and he did," Xavi said. "At 15 years old, just imagine it... He is special and he could have even scored tonight, but [Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva] saved.
"He played with confidence and he showed what he is about. He has no fear and bags of talent. Some of his passes in the final third were really good."
The justified hype began.
He just keeps shattering records
Just a few months after setting the world alight, Spain made Yamal a full international.
He earned his first cap against Georgia in a 7-1 win back in September, finding the net in the rout.
Again, he made history. He is now La Roja's youngest ever player and goalscorer at just 16 years and 57 days old.
Better still, he shattered Gareth Bale's long-standing Euro qualifier record, who scored at the age of 17 years and 83 days old.
It was no surprise that a month after his exploits, Barcelona tied Yamal up to a new that should keep him to the club until 2026.
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Anyone who wants to sign him will have to cough up his release clause - which stands at a staggering £1billion.
PSG, you have been warned. England, be wary.
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