Barcelona is celebrating Lamine Yamal this weekend. The winger just turned 18 and signed his first professional contract, running until 2031. He will now wear the legendary number 10 shirt for the Spanish champions next season.
Despite having just turned 18, Lamine Yamal has already achieved a great deal. His stats are comparable to those of Diego Maradona and Pele at the same age, and surpass those of other football legends.
He also has four trophies to his name: the European Championship with Spain (2024), two La Liga titles (2023, 2025), and the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España (both in 2025), all won with Barcelona.
Yamal picks team
A legend in the making, Yamal has compiled his all-time best Barcelona XI, naturally comprised of players he's watched or played alongside, as reported by GSP.
He chose Victor Valdes as his goalkeeper, despite current teammate Marc-Andre ter Stegen also being an option. "In my opinion, he's the best goalkeeper we've ever had, among those I've been able to watch," he explained.
In defense, Yamal opted for a back three of Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, and Javier Mascherano. Notably absent was Dani Alves, who has faced legal issues in recent years following accusations of sexual assault. Despite this, the Brazilian won six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues with the Catalan club.
In midfield, the Barcelona winger chose Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, and Ronaldinho. Upfront, he picked Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar, the famed MSN trident. Surprisingly, none of his current teammates made the cut. Modestly, he didn't even include himself!