Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana was born on 13 July 2007 in Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain. He grew up in the Barcelona area and began playing organised football with CF La Torreta before joining FC Barcelona at the age of seven. He progressed through the club’s La Masia academy and moved through the youth categories quickly, reaching the under-19 level while still several years younger than many of his team-mates.
Lamine Yamal began training with Barcelona’s senior squad under Xavi Hernandez and made his competitive first-team debut against Real Betis on 29 April 2023. He was 15 years, nine months and 16 days old, making him the youngest player to appear for Barcelona’s first team. He entered as a substitute during a 4-0 La Liga victory at Camp Nou. That appearance also meant he was part of the Barcelona squad during the club’s 2022/23 La Liga title-winning season.
During the 2023/24 campaign, Lamine Yamal became a regular member of the first team despite initially being registered with Barcelona’s B squad. He made 50 appearances in all competitions and scored seven goals. During the season he established a series of age records in Spanish and European competition, including becoming Barcelona’s youngest La Liga starter. He also became the youngest player to reach 50 first-team appearances for the club.
His senior international career began during the same period. Lamine Yamal made his Spain debut against Georgia on 8 September 2023 at the age of 16, becoming the country’s youngest senior international. He scored in the match and also became Spain’s youngest goalscorer. He remained in the national squad and was selected by Luis de la Fuente for UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany.
At the European Championship, Lamine Yamal started Spain’s opening match against Croatia aged 16 years and 338 days, setting a record as the youngest player to appear at a EURO. He played in all seven of Spain’s matches and supplied four assists, the highest total at the tournament. In the semi-final against France, he scored Spain’s equaliser in a 2-1 victory and became the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history at 16 years and 362 days. Spain defeated England 2-1 in the final the day after his 17th birthday. UEFA named him Young Player of the Tournament.
Lamine Yamal returned to Barcelona for the 2024/25 season under Hansi Flick and recorded 18 goals and 21 assists in all competitions. Barcelona won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. During the campaign, Yamal became the youngest player to reach 100 competitive appearances for Barcelona and the youngest goalscorer in a Clasico. In May 2025, Barcelona announced a contract extension tying him to the club until 30 June 2031. He subsequently received Barcelona’s number 10 shirt ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Barcelona retained the La Liga title in 2025/26, giving Yamal his third league championship as a first-team player. The club also won another Spanish Super Cup. By the start of the 2026/27 campaign, he remained part of Barcelona’s senior squad, playing as a forward and wearing number 10.
Yamal also continued with Spain after EURO 2024. He featured in the 2025 UEFA Nations League campaign, including Spain’s 5-4 semi-final victory over France, before Portugal defeated Spain in the final on penalties. He was subsequently selected for his first FIFA World Cup in 2026.
At the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, Lamine Yamal scored his first World Cup goal in Spain’s 4-0 group-stage victory over Saudi Arabia. He remained involved as Spain progressed through the knockout rounds and reached the final against Argentina. Spain won the tournament, adding the FIFA World Cup to the European Championship Yamal had won two years earlier. By September 2026, the 19-year-old was playing his fourth full season as a Barcelona first-team player and remained under contract with the club until 2031.
