FC Barcelona have had the privilege of having many talented youngsters throughout history donning the Blaugrana colors. The likes of La Masia and footballing greats such as Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol, and Busquets have all been products of the Catalan club and its academy.
In recent times, the likes of upcoming superstars such as Gavi and Alejandro Balde have come through La Masia. Most recently, however, a record of unthinkable prospects was broken by the newest inclusion into the first team who has crawled up from the ranks of La Masia.
15-year-old La Masia product Lamine Yamal becomes the youngest-ever player for FC Barcelona to feature in a La Liga game at the exact age of 15 years and 290 days. He breaks the record previously held by Vicente Martinez at the age of 16 years, 9 months, and 7 days in 1941, which is also not too far apart from the age Ansu Fati made his debut, his being 16 years, 9 months, and 25 days.
Lamine Yamal’s astronomical rise to the first team remains well-documented. Constantly being paired to play with youngsters senior to him in age due to his own abilities exceeding those within his age group, the young Spaniard could surely go on to mark an era and create a legacy at the club should he continue to prosper and live up to the expectations associated with him.
The likes of Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez would go on to single out the youngster and shine some praise on him. The words of the manager regarding Yamal were as follows:
“He’s got innate talent in the final third which is difficult to find. He doesn’t seem like he’s 15 years old, he’s more mature than his years. I’ve seen him train and he’s shown it. He played 10 minutes but did well, he can mark an era at the club.”
Jordi Cruyff, another important member of the Barcelona hierarchy, also had the following praise for the youngster:
“The fact of debuting and breaking the record with three weeks of training in the first team says it all. He is a daring boy, with some super special qualities.”
The player had a memorable 10 minutes, almost scoring a goal and almost being involved in what would have been a great team goal originating from Yamal himself. Barcelona next face CA Osasuna on the 2nd of May at the Spotify Camp Nou for their next outing in La Liga. Lamine Yamal could also go on to feature in that game should the manager decide to give him another shot at first-team action.