Lamine Yamal facts for kids

"Yamal" redirects here. For other uses, see Yamal (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Nasraoui and the second or maternal family name is Ebana.

Quick facts for kids
Lamine Yamal

Yamal with Spain in 2026

Personal information

Full name

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana

Date of birth

13 July 2007 (age 19)

Place of birth

Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain

Height

1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)

Position(s)

Winger

Team information

Current team

Barcelona

Number

Youth career

2012–2014

La Torreta

2014–2023

Barcelona

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2023

Barcelona B

(0)

2023–

Barcelona

108

(37)

International career^‡

2021

Spain U15

(3)

2022

Spain U16

(1)

2022–2023

Spain U17

(8)

2022

Spain U19

(0)

2023–

Spain

(7)

Medal record

Men's football

Representing Spain
FIFA World Cup
Winner	2026 Canada–Mexico–US
UEFA European Championship
Winner	2024 Germany
UEFA Nations League
Runner-up	2025 Germany

Signature

*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:11, 19 September 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:10, 19 July 2026 (UTC)

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana (born 13 July 2007) is a famous Spanish footballer. He plays as an attacking right winger for the Spanish team Barcelona. He also stars for the Spain national team. Many sports fans consider him one of the best young athletes in the world. He is famous for his fast footwork, accurate kicks, and quick thinking during matches.

Yamal trained at Barcelona's famous youth soccer school called La Masia. He joined the main team during the 2023–24 season when he was only 15 years old. At age 17, people nominated him for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award. He also won the Kopa Trophy twice as the world's best young player. Playing for coach Hansi Flick, Yamal helped Barcelona win three major Spanish trophies in one single year. This special achievement is called a domestic treble: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. He also helped Barcelona win the 2025–26 league title and became the La Liga Player of the Season.

On the international stage, Yamal played on several youth teams for Spain. He joined the senior team in 2023 when he was just 16 years old. In 2024, he became the youngest person ever to score in the UEFA European Championship. His great play helped Spain win the Euro 2024 tournament, and he earned the Young Player Award. Later, during the 2026 World Cup, Yamal helped Spain win the championship trophy.

Early life and childhood background
Club soccer career
International soccer career
- Regional games with Catalonia
- National team of Spain
  - European Championship victory in 2024
  - World Cup triumph in 2026
Player profile and style of play
Personal life and charity work
Career statistics
- Club performance
- International performance
Awards and titles won
See also

Early life and childhood background

Lamine Yamal was born on 13 July 2007 in Esplugues de Llobregat. This town is located inside the busy Barcelona metropolitan area in Catalonia. His father, Mounir Nasraoui, grew up in Morocco near Larache and Ksar el-Kebir. His mother, Sheila Ebana, was born in the African city of Bata in Equatorial Guinea. Yamal has a younger half-brother and a younger half-sister whom he cares about deeply.

His parents chose a compound given name to thank two good friends named Lamine and Yamal. These two friends supported the family before Yamal was born. When Yamal was an infant, he appeared in a special charity photo shoot organized by UNICEF. In those photos, Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi gently helped bathe baby Yamal for a calendar. These old pictures became a huge viral internet hit years later when Yamal's father shared them. People talked about them again when Yamal and Messi played in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

His grandmother Fatima was also very important during his early life. She moved from Tangier in Morocco to Spain in the year 1990. She worked hard to create a safe home in Rocafonda, a neighborhood in Mataró. When Yamal's parents split up, his grandmother helped take care of him every day. She made sure he woke up on time, finished his schoolwork, and arrived safely at practice.

Yamal started playing organized soccer at age four with a local team named La Torreta in Granollers. He split his weeks between living with his mother and his father. Whenever Yamal scores a goal today, his celebration shows three fingers on one hand and four on the other. This gesture represents the number 304, the postal code for Rocafonda. This celebration shows how proud he is of his hometown neighborhood and the friends who supported him.

Barcelona scouts noticed Yamal's amazing talent when he was just six years old. They invited him to train at the famous La Masia academy. He officially signed with the team in 2014 and moved into the academy. While learning soccer skills, he watched videos of Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho, Argentine legend Messi, and winger Neymar.

Club soccer career

Rising through La Masia academy

Yamal improved quickly while training with the youth coaches at La Masia. Everyone could see that he possessed special ball control and field vision. Even though he was quite young, coaches placed him on the Juvenil A squad for older teens. In September 2022, head coach Xavi invited Yamal to practice directly with the senior first team.

He made his official professional debut on 29 April 2023. He entered the game as a late substitute for teammate Gavi. Barcelona defeated Real Betis with a score of 4–0 in La Liga. Yamal was only 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old on that day. That made him the youngest player for Barcelona since Armando Sagi in 1922. A few weeks later, he celebrated as Barcelona won the 2022–23 league title.

2023–24 season: Breaking records as a starter

Yamal was officially registered on the reserve team, but he played for the main team. On 20 August 2023, he started his first match against Cádiz at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The home crowd gave him a standing ovation for his skilled dribbling. In the next match against Villarreal, he set up two goals and was chosen as Man of the Match.

His fantastic play earned him the league's U23 Player of the Month award for August. In September, he played in the UEFA Champions League against Royal Antwerp. He became the second-youngest player to ever run onto the pitch in that major tournament. Barcelona quickly offered him a new contract until 2026 with a high buyout clause of one billion euros.

In October 2023, Yamal scored his first senior goal during a 2–2 match against Granada. In December, he received a trophy from the organizers of the Golden Boy award. On 11 January 2024, he scored in the semi-final of the Supercopa de España against Osasuna. That goal made him the youngest scorer in the history of the Supercopa.

Later that month, he scored another goal against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey. He became the youngest goalscorer in that tournament's history as well. In February, he scored a brace (two goals) against Granada. Barcelona finished in second place in La Liga that season. In European play, French club Paris Saint-Germain defeated Barcelona in the quarter-finals, although Yamal provided a nice assist.

2024–25 season: Winning titles and major awards

The 2024–25 season began with Yamal helping create the winning goal against Valencia. In the next game, he scored a curling shot against Athletic Bilbao. On 19 September 2024, he scored against Monaco in the Champions League league phase. This goal made him the second-youngest scorer in Champions League history.

A month later, Barcelona traveled to Madrid to play against rivals Real Madrid. This huge game is called El Clásico. Barcelona won 4–0 at the famous Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Yamal scored a goal, becoming the youngest player to score in El Clásico history. During the game, he and teammates like Raphinha stayed focused despite unfair shouting from opposing fans.

Barcelona went on a long winning run, reaching the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. Yamal had a short time where he did not score any goals. However, his new manager Hansi Flick told reporters that Yamal was helping the team by creating scoring chances. In April 2025, Yamal played his 100th match for Barcelona during a 3–3 tie with Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals.

At the end of the year, Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the second time in his career. He was also voted runner-up for the famous Ballon d'Or award. Sports channel ESPN ranked him as one of the best attacking wingers behind Mohamed Salah. He collected several trophies including the La Liga Goal of the Month and the IFFHS Men's Player of the Month.

2025–26 season: Star player and new contract

Yamal celebrating a goal for Barcelona against Athletic Bilbao in 2026

In May 2025, Yamal signed a long-term contract extension with Barcelona lasting until the summer of 2031. Sports news site The Athletic noted that the contract reflected his importance to the team. Barcelona presented him with the historic number 10 jersey, worn by past soccer legends.

Yamal finished second in the voting for the 2025 Ballon d'Or behind French star Ousmane Dembélé. On 28 February 2026, Yamal scored his first professional hat-trick (three goals) against Villarreal. Near the end of the season, he had a leg muscle injury that kept him out of several games. Even with that injury, he finished the year as Barcelona's top scorer with 24 goals and 17 assists across all tournaments.

His excellent teamwork helped Barcelona defend their title and win the 2025–26 La Liga trophy. The league named him the La Liga Player of the Month for April 2026. Global sports analysts at ESPN again ranked him near the top of the world's wingers, alongside stars like Michael Olise.

2026–27 season: Breaking European records

Yamal started the 2026–27 season playing against Elche. Coach Flick substituted him after 65 minutes because Yamal needed extra rest after a busy summer. On 31 August, Yamal scored two goals against Rayo Vallecano, taking his total Barcelona goal tally to 51 goals. This achievement made him the youngest player in the top five European leagues to score 50 goals. He passed the record previously held by French forward Kylian Mbappé.

A week later, he scored two goals in a 5–0 win over Valencia. On 9 September, Yamal became the youngest captain in Barcelona's history when Raphinha left the field during a 5–1 win against Feyenoord. On 13 September, Yamal scored twice against Levante. That was his third consecutive league match with two goals. The only other Barcelona player to do that in the first five games of a season was Lionel Messi in the 2012–13 season.

International soccer career

Regional games with Catalonia

Before playing on the full national team, Yamal played for youth teams organized by the Catalonia national football team. He was the team captain for the under-12, under-14, and under-16 groups. In November 2022, he scored against the regional team of Castile and León. Later that month, he played in an exciting 2–2 match against the Aragon team.

National team of Spain

Yamal playing for the Spain national team in 2025

Yamal played for Spain's youth squads at the U15, U16, and U17 levels. He scored four goals at the 2023 European U17 Championship. His great skills earned him an invitation to the senior Spain squad for the Euro qualifiers in September 2023.

He made his senior Spain debut against the Georgia national team on 8 September 2023. Spain won 7–1, and Yamal scored one of the goals. At 16 years and 57 days old, he became the youngest player and goalscorer for Spain. He passed the record set by his teammate Gavi. He also became the youngest scorer in Euro qualifying history, passing Gareth Bale. Spain then defeated the Scotland national team and the Norway national team to earn a spot at the tournament.

European Championship victory in 2024

In June 2024, Spain named Yamal to the final squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He made his tournament debut against the Croatia national team and set up a goal for defender Dani Carvajal. Yamal became the youngest player to ever play and provide an assist at the European Championship. In the next round, he gave another assist during a 4–1 win over Georgia.

Spain faced the host team, the Germany national team, in the quarter-finals and won 2–1. In the semi-finals against the France national team, Yamal scored a famous goal from outside the penalty area. The ball curled into the top corner of the net, making him the tournament's youngest goalscorer ever.

In the final match, Spain played against the England national team. Yamal passed the ball to teammate Nico Williams, who scored the opening goal. Spain won the match 2–1 to become champions. Yamal received the official Young Player of the Tournament award. Later, during the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, he scored two goals in a 5–4 win over France.

World Cup triumph in 2026

Yamal running with the ball against the France national team in the 2026 semifinals

In May 2026, Yamal was selected for Spain's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. He worked hard to get healthy after a leg muscle problem during the club season. Coach Luis de la Fuente used him as a substitute in the first match against the Cape Verde national team.

In the next game, Yamal scored in a 4–0 win against the Saudi Arabia national team. He was the second player aged 18 or younger to score an opening goal at a World Cup since Brazilian legend Pelé in 1958. He won player awards in victories against the Austria national team and the Belgium national team.

Spain reached the championship match against the Argentina national team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Spain won the hard-fought match 1–0. Yamal became the youngest soccer player in history to win both the European Championship and the World Cup. He was also the third-youngest player to appear in a final, joining Pelé and Giuseppe Bergomi. He completed 35 successful dribbles during the tournament, leading all players. Analysts on Fox Sports and news writers praised his clever passes and ball control.

Player profile and style of play

Yamal is a left-footed attacker who can play as a centre-forward, an attacking midfielder, or a winger. He prefers to play on the right side of the field. From that position, he can dribble past defenders toward the middle and shoot with his left foot.

He is well known for kicking the ball with the outside of his boot. This special curved pass or shot is called a trivela. His quick changes of speed and sharp passes create many chances for his teammates to score goals.

Personal life and charity work

Yamal is a practicing Muslim. He follows the traditions of Ramadan, which means he participates in fasting from dawn to sunset for about a month. He continues to practice and play games with his team during this time, showing great focus and dedication.

He uses his public voice to encourage fairness and kindness in sports. After an international friendly match against Egypt, Yamal spoke out against mean chants from the crowd. He reminded sports fans that everyone deserves respect, no matter their background. In May 2026, Yamal carried a Palestinian flag during a team celebration to show care for families living in difficult areas. Spanish leaders like prime minister Pedro Sánchez praised his kindness. In June 2026, Yamal became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to help children around the world have safe places to play sports and learn.

Career statistics

Club performance

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Copa del Rey		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Barcelona B	2022–23	Primera Federación	1	0	—		—		2	0	3	0
Barcelona	2022–23	La Liga	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
	2023–24	La Liga	37	5	1	1	10	0	2	1	50	7
	2024–25	La Liga	35	9	5	2	13	5	2	2	55	18
	2025–26	La Liga	28	16	5	2	10	6	2	0	45	24
	2026–27	La Liga	7	7	0	0	1	1	0	0	8	8
	Total		108	37	11	5	34	12	6	3	159	57
Career total			109	37	11	5	34	12	8	3	162	57

International performance

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Spain	2023	4	2
	2024	13	1
	2025	6	3
	2026	10	1
Total		33	7

List of international goals scored by Lamine Yamal
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	8 September 2023	Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia	1	Georgia	7–1	7–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
2	16 November 2023	Alphamega Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus	3	Cyprus	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
3	9 July 2024	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	13	France	1–1	2–1	UEFA Euro 2024
4	23 March 2025	Mestalla, Valencia, Spain	19	Netherlands	3–2	3–3 (aet) (5–4 p)	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
5	5 June 2025	MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany	20	France	3–0	5–4	2025 UEFA Nations League Finals
6	5 June 2025	MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany	20	France	5–1	5–4	2025 UEFA Nations League Finals
7	21 June 2026	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States	27	Saudi Arabia	1–0	4–0	2026 FIFA World Cup