Lamine Yamal has not just made an impact on football, he has impacted sport in general. In recognition of an outstanding 2024, he has been named Lamine Yamal, Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year, a more than deserved honour after setting all kinds of records in his debut year.
His name was revealed at Monday's ceremony in Madrid. The player himself was unable to be there to collect the award in person because he is busy preparing for Tuesday night's game against Mallorca at the Estadi Olimpic.
🏆 Lamine Yamal is the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year#Laureus25 pic.twitter.com/IvBkTEgvXl
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) April 21, 2025
He won the award ahead of Julen Alfred (athletics), Bayer Leverkusen (football), Summer McIntosh (swimming), Letslie Tebogo (athletics) and Victor Wembanyama (basketball).
Amazing year
Aged just 16 years, he made his senior debut under Xavi Hernández, and now he's 17 he is an untouchable member of the team now coached by Hansi Flick. In 2024, he played 46 games, scoring 14 goals and giving 18 assists.
He was soon called up for international duty despite his astonishingly young age. He was stunning at the European Championship which Spain won just days after his 17th birthday, starting five games and scoring one goal and giving an assist. His achievements were promptly recognised with the Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy, both for being the best young footballer in the world.
Not even the sky is the limit for Lamine Yamal, and 2025 promises to be better still with his team on course to win the treble. Whether or not that happens, his name has already gone down in the annals as one of the finest young sportsmen of all time.