Yamal could be the ‘wonder boy’ at the World Cup

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws closer, the eyes of the football world are on young Turks. FIFA is hosting a special series on the under-21 footballers who are ready to take the field. The main attraction of this report is the young star of Spain and Barcelona, ​​​​Lamin Yamal.

Lamin Yamal at a glance

• Birthday: July 13, 2007
• Team: Spain and FC Barcelona
• International debut: 8 September 2023, against Georgia (aged just 16)
• Position: Right Winger
• Playing style and skills: Perfect passing, excellent dribbling, great ability to understand the pace of the game, leadership qualities on the field, and unique skills in assisting and scoring goals.

Why will Yamal shine at this year’s World Cup? Lamine Yamal is no longer just a rising star, but has become a key player for Barcelona and the Spanish national team. The young winger will enter the upcoming World Cup as one of the best players in the world today. He is one of the mainstays of coach Luis de la Fuente’s team’s attack.

Yamal’s rise is like a fairy tale. He won second place in the 2025 ‘FIFA The Best’ award. He has been breaking records one after another since the beginning of his career. This footballer, who made his debut in the Barcelona jersey at the age of just 15 years, 9 months and 16 days, is the youngest goalscorer in the history of the club and La Liga. At the same time, he is the youngest to debut and score a goal in the history of the Spanish national team.

He played a major role in Spain’s victory at the 2024 Euro Championship, just days before his 17th birthday. His brilliant long-range goal against France in the semi-final made him the youngest goalscorer in Euro history. He also won the Best Young Player award with four assists in the tournament.

The winger, who came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, is not yet 19 years old. He has already played 25 times for Spain, played more than 150 games for Barcelona and won three La Liga titles. Now he aims to make history on the biggest stage in world football.

What football experts are saying about Yamal:

“If I had to choose one of the new generation of footballers, I would choose Lamine. What he has shown at this age and the potential he has ahead of him is simply extraordinary.” — Lionel Messi, Argentina captain and former Barcelona star

“He’s special. He has all the qualities to be one of the greatest geniuses in football history. At the age of 15-16, he was dribbling past professional players with ease. He showed some magic that you can only expect from stars like Messi or Neymar.” — Xavi Hernandez, former Barcelona coach (under whom Yamal made his debut)

“He’s only 18 years old, but he’s already an incredible footballer. He’ll be one of the best in world football, maybe one of the best of all time.” — Hansi Flick, Barcelona coach

“With time you understand who are good players and who are special. Lamine is in the second category. He is a gift from God. He plays like a mature footballer of 24-25 years old. An extraordinary talent.” — Luis de la Fuente, head coach of the Spain team

‘He’s a great player who can single-handedly decide the fate of a match.’ — Pau Kuberci, Yamal’s teammate at Barcelona and Spain

“When I first saw him in training at the age of 15, I was amazed. I’ve seen a lot of talented young people in my life, but for the first time I thought – how is it possible to play at this level at such a young age! What he’s doing is truly incredible.” — Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona teammate

‘He has all the potential to become a unique footballer. His talent is endless.’ — Andres Iniesta, former Spain and Barcelona midfielder

“You don’t usually see this kind of maturity in footballers before the age of 24 or 25. Sometimes such talented players get over-excited when they get the ball, like Stephen Curry in basketball, who tries to take a three-pointer shot when he gets the ball. But Lamine’s biggest quality is that he understands the game very well.” — Pep Guardiola, former Barcelona coach

‘He is an amazing footballer. Such talent comes around once in 50 years. I have never seen such talent with my own eyes.’ — Simone Inzaghi, former Inter Milan coach

2026 World Cup Group Stage Match between Lamine Yamal and Spain:

• June 15: Spain vs. Cape Verde (Atlanta Stadium)
• June 21: Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Atlanta Stadium)
• June 26: Uruguay vs. Spain (Guadalajara Stadium)