Lamine Yamal’s meteoric rise in football has been crowned with two prestigious accolades in 2024: the Kopa Trophy, awarded at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, and the Golden Boy Award, presented by Italian newspaper Tuttosport. Both awards recognise the best U-21 player of the year, and the 17-year-old Barcelona and Spain forward have now claimed both honours, cementing his status as one of the brightest young talents in world football.
The young Spanish forward has enjoyed a meteoric rise, breaking records and capturing the hearts of fans worldwide. His impressive performances for Barcelona, including 13 goals and 17 assists in the 2023/24 season, and his crucial contributions to Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph have solidified his position as one of the most promising players of his generation.
At just 17 years old, Yamal has enjoyed a phenomenal year. He has become a regular starter for Barcelona, scoring 13 goals and providing 17 assists since the beginning of the 2023/24 season. Beyond his club success, Yamal was instrumental in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, earning the Young Player of the Tournament award thanks to his four assists and a stunning semi-final goal against France.
LaLiga’s Continued Dominance of the Golden Boy Award
Yamal’s Golden Boy win extends the dominance of LaLiga players in the award’s history. He is the fourth consecutive player to win the Golden Boy, following Barcelona teammates Pedri (2021) and Gavi (2022), and Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid (2023).
Since the award’s inception in 2003, LaLiga players have claimed the prize more often than those from any other league, with Yamal becoming the eighth winner from Spain’s top flight. Previous winners include legendary names such as Lionel Messi (2005, FC Barcelona), Sergio Agüero (2007, Atlético Madrid), Isco (2012, Málaga), João Félix (2019, Atlético Madrid), and recent winners Pedri, Gavi, and Bellingham.
Spain’s Golden Generation
Yamal also becomes the fifth Spaniard to win the award, joining an elite group that includes Isco, Pedri, Gavi, and Cesc Fàbregas, who won in 2006 while at Arsenal. Fàbregas is part of a select list of six players who have won the Golden Boy while playing in the Premier League, making it the second-most successful league after LaLiga.
Interestingly, many Golden Boy winners who initially shone outside Spain have gone on to play in LaLiga, including Cesc Fàbregas (FC Barcelona), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid, Real Betis), Alexandre Pato (Villarreal), Anthony Martial (Sevilla) and Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
In total, 13 of the 22 Golden Boy winners have played in Spain’s top division at some point in their careers, a testament to LaLiga’s appeal to the world’s most promising young players.
The Future of Football
Lamine Yamal’s incredible journey from youth prospect to award-winning star reflects not only his talent but also Barcelona’s continued ability to nurture world-class players. With both the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy Award in hand, Yamal is poised to become a key figure for both club and country in the years ahead.
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