Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has had a stellar year and has made history again, breaking yet another record after being awarded the 2024 Golden Boy prize, becoming the youngest to win the award at 17 years and four months, after a superb year which included a triumph at Euro 2024 with Spain — reports Tuttosport.
The honour is a recognition for players under the age of 21 plying their trade in Europe.Yamal has now been picked ahead of Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Paris Saint-Germain’s Warren Zaire-Emery.
Yamal was awarded the best Young Player of Euro 2024 – as he became the youngest player to feature in the tournament and his stunner against France in the semi-final made him the youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history.
The winger also became the youngest player to win the European Championship after Spain’s 2-1 final win against France and he also won the Kopa Trophy for the world’s best player under 21 at the Ballon d’Or ceremony — which he finished eighth in the general category.
Coming from the La Masia academy which produced stars like Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi – Yamal entered into the current season with his excellent form, netting five goals in 12 LaLiga games for Barcelona.
Notable winners of this award are Jude Bellingham, who won last season’s prize, Kylian Mbappe and Wayne Rooney.
Yamal is the fourth Blaugrana player to win the award, after Gavi, Pedri and Messi. The Catalan giants’ 18-year-old midfielder Vicky Lopez won the Golden Girl award.
