Early Life and Rise Through La Masia
Born on 13 July 2007, in Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain, Lamine Yamal has a different upbringing. His father, Mounir Nasraoui, is originally from Morocco, and his mother, Sheila Ebana, was from Equatorial Guinea. This ancestry makes Yamal eligible to represent both Morocco and Equatorial Guinea on the international front. Moreover, Lamine Yamal entered the acclaimed Barcelona-based academy La Masia at the age of 7, upon being scouted from his local club CF La Torreta. He rose through ranks fast, often overtaking his peers at amazing speed—the U19s debut coming while he was still a child. Then, a call-up to train with the first team by Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández truly recognized his talent.
Debut in Barcelona and Record-Breaking Season
In April 2023, at just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, he made his debut for Barcelona in a 4-0 victory over Real Betis, becoming the youngest player to ever take the field for the team. Yamal has made an immediate and profound impact on Tito Vilanova’s team. However, this season he picked up his first real experience as a first-team player, playing 50 times in all competitions—La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey—with 7 goals. He made a few records in the process. He became the youngest player to make 50 appearances for Barça, the youngest starter in La Liga, the youngest player to record an assist, the youngest to score for Barcelona and in La Liga, youngest to feature, youngest to score a brace in La Liga in El Clásico.
Lamine Yamal International Career
This success did not stop at the club level. In 2023, he played for Spain’s U17 in the European U17 Championship, netting 4 goals in the competition. In September 2023, called up to the senior national team at the age of 16 years and 50 days, he made his debut for Spain, becoming their youngest player and goal-scorer. The international exploits of Yamal did not stop here, as the 2024 European Championships became the real playground. At the age of 16 years and 338 days, he became the youngest player ever to feature in the tournament, breaking the record held previously. He went on to provide three assists in the tournament, equating a Spanish record, while also scoring the first goal in Spain’s 2-1 semifinal win over France to become the first teenager to score in Euros history
Lamine Yamal Salary
- Lamine Yamal signed a contract extension with Barcelona in October 2023 that runs until June 2026.
- Yamal has a base salary of €1,670,000 per season or €32,115 per week, not including bonuses.
- This means his monthly salary is estimated to be around €128,460.
- Yamal’s contract also includes a massive €1 billion release clause.
- There are reports that Yamal’s salary will increase significantly once he turns 18, with his contract being renegotiated to run until 2030.
- Estimates suggest Yamal’s salary could rise to between €60,000 – €80,000 per month as he continues to establish himself in the Barcelona first team.
So, in summary, the 16-year-old Lamine Yamal is currently earning a base salary of €1.67 million per year at Barcelona, making him one of the highest paid teenage players in world football.
Conclusion:
Lamine Yamal came out of nowhere and seemed to win over just about every football fan in a very short period of time. This is due to the fact that the teen sensation has the ability to easily glide past opponents, make scoring chances, and play in any position on the pitch, a quality which people scour the world to liken someone to legendary Lionel Messi. Already, Yamal has started setting records and putting on displays that Barcelona and Spain expect to inspire great change around the world.
