Some 20 years later, the paths of FC Barcelona, UNICEF and the Barça Foundation have crossed once again. First team player and Barça star Lamine Yamal picks up the baton of a legacy that transcends football, committing himself to solidarity and children's rights, having become a UNICEF ambassador.

On being named a UNICEF Good Will Ambassador aged just 18 years old, FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal has become one of the youngest ambassadors in the history of the organisation. It coincides with the Internacional Day of Play on 11 June, which champions every child's right to play as a tool to aid correct cognitive, emotional and social development.

Lamine Yamal has collaborated on different occasions with UNICEF since 2024, participating in a range of initiatives and helping raise awareness worldwide, particularly among the younger generations. His ability to connect with new generations reinforces his commitment to the values of solidarity, inclusion and children's rights.

For FC Barcelona and the Barça Foundation, his naming is fully in line with the historic ties between the Club and UNICEF, with the aim of using sport as a tool for social change. Under the mandate of president Joan Laporta in 2006, both institutions signed a historic agreement at the UN headquarters in New York that led to the FC Barcelona first team football jersey featuring the UNICEF logo on the front for 16 years.

Their paths cross once again now via Lamine Yamal, who represents a new generation of committed sportspeople who can inspire positive change beyond the pitch.

In his new role, Lamine Yamal will focus on promoting children's right to play and supporting children living in humanitarian emergencies, such as conflict or natural disasters.

This commitment is even more relevant given the recent updated data released by UNICEF, which reveal that more than 90 million children under the age of five do not have any playthings at all, while 80 million children aged two to four do not play with a parent or caregiver at home.

As is the case with Lamine Yamal, FC Barcelona and the Barça Foundation reaffirm their willingness to continue promoting initiatives through their players in order to ensure well-being and integral development during childhood, advocating their role as agents for social change through sport and play.

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