From the moment Lamine Yamal stepped onto the field, it felt like watching history being rewritten in real time. With every touch, every run, every assist or goal, he seems to erase a record and plant his own flag in its place. Yet many fans still ask: whose record did Yamal break? In this piece, AnnuGoal will walk you through the cascade of milestones Yamal has surpassed — and whose names he replaced in the record books.
A prodigy’s debut: the first record broken
The first major marker in Yamal’s extraordinariness was his Barcelona first-team debut. On April 29, 2023, at just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, Yamal made his senior appearance against Real Betis — becoming the youngest ever debutant for FC Barcelona. Before that, no player in over a century had done it at that age. He eclipsed a century-old benchmark held by club legends who once held that “youngest debutant” tag.
That debut also made him one of the youngest players in La Liga history, slotting into the list of “youngest ever in Spain’s top flight.” Though not strictly unique to Yamal, his debut broke internal club lore and cemented him among Spain’s most precocious talents.
Thus, when people ask whose record did Yamal break, one primary answer is: the previous youngest debutant record at Barcelona — a record that had stood virtually unchallenged for decades.
Records across club and league: rewriting the youngest titles
Yamal didn’t stop at debuting. He continued to steal titles like “youngest” across numerous competitions and contexts. Some of the most notable records he broke include:
- Youngest player to start in La Liga: At 16 years and 38 days, Yamal became the youngest starter in Spain’s top flight, surpassing the earlier record held by Fabrice Olinga.
- Youngest goal scorer in La Liga / for Barcelona: He scored for Barcelona in La Liga at 16 years and 87 days, overtaking Olinga’s mark of 16 years and 98 days.
- Youngest assist in La Liga: As his game matured, he became the youngest player to register an assist in Spain’s top division.
- Youngest player to feature in El Clásico: Yamal made history by being the youngest ever to take part in Barcelona vs Real Madrid, embedding his name in that rivalry’s lineage.
- Youngest goalscorer in a Copa del Rey match: In knockout competition, Yamal’s goal shattered the previous youngest-goalscorer record for the cup competition.
- Youngest starter in a Champions League match: When he lined up in Europe’s elite club tournament, he became the youngest ever to be named in a starting XI at that level.
Each time, the names he overtook were fellow prodigies or club legends whose records had stood as benchmarks — Gavi, Ansu Fati, Olinga among them.
International stage: his biggest leaps yet
The true spectacle comes when Yamal turns his brilliance to the national stage. Here, he didn’t only break club-based records — he rewrote Spain’s footballing archetypes.
Youngest player and scorer for Spain
On September 8, 2023, Yamal made his senior debut for the Spanish national team in a Euro 2024 qualifier. At 16 years and 57 days, he became Spain’s youngest ever player. Shortly after, he scored a goal in that very same match, becoming Spain’s youngest goalscorer at the senior level. Those were records previously held by the talented Gavi, who debuted and scored at older ages.
Youngest in European Championship history
Euro 2024 was where Yamal etched his name into continental lore. When he appeared for Spain in the group stages, he became the youngest player ever to feature in a UEFA European Championship, breaking the previous record held by Poland’s Kacper Kozłowski, who had played at age 17 years and 246 days.
Then in the semi-final against France, Yamal curled in a breathtaking goal at 16 years and 362 days, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Euro history, eclipsing Swiss forward Johan Vonlanthen, whose mark stood at 18 years and 141 days.
He also became the youngest player to participate in a Euro final (and win it), overtaking names like Renato Sanches and elements tied to Pelé’s long-standing world-final records. In short, Yamal now holds multiple “youngest ever” crowns at the European Championship level.
Highlight: Champions League semi-final record
One of the flashpoints of Yamal’s career so far came in the 2024–25 Champions League semi-final. At just 17 years and 291 days, he scored in a Champions League semi-final, becoming the youngest player ever to do so. That broke a record previously held by Kylian Mbappé.
It’s one thing to break youth records in lesser-known matches — but to shine and score on Europe’s biggest stage at that age is testament to Yamal’s mental and technical fortitude under pressure.
Why so many records? What makes Yamal unique
You might wonder: how is it that one teenager breaks so many records so fast? It takes more than raw talent — it’s a combination of:
- Early exposure and trust: Barcelona and Spain have shown confidence in giving Yamal real minutes very young.
- Technical maturity: His dribbling, decision-making, creativity and game sense are ahead of his years.
- Composure under pressure: He doesn’t look fazed when putting on big matches like El Clásico or Euro semis.
- Injury luck and opportunity windows: He has remained healthy enough to take advantage of opportunities when they come.
All of these allow him to peel off record after record — often supplanting names that once seemed untouchable.
Summary of key records and those he broke
Here’s a concise list of major records whose record did Yamal break (with the prior holders):
| Record | Previous holder(s) | Yamal’s achievement |
| Youngest Barcelona debutant | A long-standing club record (decades old) | Debuted at 15y 9m 16d |
| Youngest starter in La Liga | Fabrice Olinga | Started at 16y 38d |
| Youngest La Liga goal scorer | Fabrice Olinga | Scored at 16y 87d |
| Youngest Spain international | Gavi | Debuted at 16y 57d |
| Youngest Spain goalscorer | Gavi | Scored at 16y 57d |
| Youngest European Championship player | Kacper Kozlowski | Played at 16y 338d |
| Youngest European Championship scorer | Johan Vonlanthen | Scored at 16y 362d |
| Youngest scorer in Champions League semi-final | Kylian Mbappé | Scored at 17y 291d |
This is not exhaustive — Yamal holds many more younger-player distinctions across competitions — but it addresses many of the key ones fans ask about.
Final Thoughts
In this article, AnnuGoal has decoded whose record did Yamal break — from Barcelona’s club history to the grandest international stages. What’s astonishing is not just the volume of records he has taken, but the calibre of the names he’s overtaken: prodigies, club legends, national icons.
If you want a full catalog of every record Yamal has broken, or dee, Mbappé, Gavi or others at youth stages, let me know. Dive deeper with us — because Yamal’s journey is only just beginning.
