With the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or released on August 7th, debates on who the best player is in the world of football (soccer) have once again emerged. Among those expected to shine in this year's ceremony, one stands out from the rest: a teenager by the name of Lamine Yamal, currently playing for FC Barcelona and the Spanish National Team. People have made comparisons of him with the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr, two of the greatest names ever in the sport.

So the question begs: Who is he? And what makes him so special at such a young age?

Beginnings

Lamine Yamal was born in Barcelona, Spain, on July 13th, 2007. His father is from Morocco, while his mother is from Equatorial Guinea. At age six, he was scouted by FC Barcelona and invited to train at their youth academy, La Masia. He officially signed with the Catalan club's academy a year later.

At La Masia, Yamal was viewed by coaches and managers as one of their best prospects. His breakthrough came in the 2022-2023 season, when he made his first team debut on April 29th, 2023, as an 83-minute substitute against Real Betis in La Liga — becoming Barcelona's youngest ever player to debut for their first team. Although it was only his first season playing with the first team, he'd gradually establish himself as a key member of the club and a name to be acknowledged across the footballing world.

That season, he would go on to win the La Liga title with Barca, breaking several records in the process. He also won the Kopa Award for being the best player under 21 that year.

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Rise

As the season concluded, Yamal was selected to be in the 26-man Spanish National Team to play in the 2024 Euros. He soon became the youngest ever player to feature in the tournament against Croatia. He went on to assist a goal in the match, becoming the youngest player to do so.

In the knockout phase, he again assisted twice in the matches against Georgia and Germany. In the semi-final match against France, he scored a curling ball into the net, which would end up as the goal of the tournament. He also subsequently became the youngest goalscorer of the Euros. In the final, he again assisted fellow winger Nico Williams to make it 1-0. He would go on to win the tournament and its best young player award.

In the following 2024-2025 season, Yamal would solidify his spot in the starting 11 and would become the youngest goal scorer in El Clásico (the most famous and intense rivalry in football history) history, as he scored the third goal in a 4-0 dominance against Real Madrid on October 26th, 2024. Barcelona went on to win four consecutive El Clásico matches against Madrid that season, a feat not achieved since the 1982-1983 season. The club would also go on to collect a domestic treble, consisting of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. It was also during this time that pundits and fans began to praise Yamal's performances on the pitch and describe him as "the best player in the world."

Present

In May 2025, Yamal agreed to his first long-term contract with Barcelona, which would keep him as a player until 2031. It also made him one of Barca's highest-paid players, with reports of up to $18 million annually. Two months later, he inherited the No. 10 shirt (One of football and Barca's most iconic shirt numbers, worn by legends like Ronaldinho, Cruyff, and Messi) after its previous bearer, Ansu Fati, went on loan.

In a mere two seasons, Lamine Yamal has already established himself as a talented and skillful player. As time progresses, we can certainly expect him to continue to dominate on the field and terrorize Europe. If he does win the Ballon d'Or this year, he will break another record by being the youngest to do so. One can only imagine what more he will achieve in the future.