Lamine Yamal

Born in Esplugues de Llobregat in the Barcelona metropolitan area to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, Lamine Yamal joined Barcelona's La Masia academy at age seven. Widely regarded as one of the academy's most gifted prospects since Lionel Messi, Yamal made his senior La Liga debut for Barcelona in April 2023 at just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days, becoming the club's youngest debutant in over a century. In the 2023-24 season, Yamal broke nearly every existing age milestone in Spanish football, becoming the youngest goalscorer in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. In June and July 2024, Yamal captivated the football world at UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. Still 16 when the tournament began, he registered four assists and curled a breathtaking 25-yard equalizer against France in the semi-finals to become the youngest goalscorer in tournament history. He turned 17 the day before starting the final in Berlin, assisting the opening goal as Spain defeated England 2-1 to claim the title. In October 2024, he won the Kopa Trophy as the world's best under-21 player.