Lamine Yamal, Laureus Young Sportsperson of the Year
Monday 20 April saw the Laureus World Sports Awards take place in the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid and the Laureus jury awarded Lamine Yamal the honour of being Young Sportsperson of the Year. It is the first time this particular prize has been awarded, recognising Lamine as the best young athlete under the age of 21, the jury highlighting not just his performances over the calendar year but also his impact on the sport in general.
After extraordinary success in 2025, the award for Lamine Yamal captures the spirit of this new category in the prestigious Laureus gala.
Lamine was key in helping FC Barcelona to a domestic treble of league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup titles. On an individual level, aside from setting individual records, he has won two Kopa Trophies and been runner up in the Ballon d'Or at 18 years of age, the youngest player ever to do so.
Monday's recognition makes the teenager the youngest athlete to have won two Laureus awards after taking the Breakthrough prize in 2025.
Eighth Laureus award
Lamine Yamal was there in person to receive his award in Madrid with another blaugrana, Barça Women's Aitana Bonmatí just missing out on the award for World Sportswoman of the Year to tennis player Aryna Sabalenka.
It is the eighth time in the Club's history that FC Barcelona has received a Laureus award. Johan Cruyff won two awards during his lifetime, in 2006 taking the Lifetime Achievement award and in 2016 the Spirit of Sport prize.
In 2007 FC Barcelona took the same award for its work with Unicef before winning the World Team of the Year prize in 2012. In the same year the U14B team at Barça were awarded the Best Sporting Moment of the Year award for their gesture of sportsmanship during a game in the World Challenge Cup in Japan. Finally, as well as Lamine Yamal's two awards, Aitana Bonmatí was named World Sportswoman of the Year in 2024.