Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal continues to make football history at an age when most players are still learning the ropes.
The 19-year-old became the youngest player to captain Barcelona during the Spanish champions’ 5-1 Champions League win over Feyenoord on Wednesday, taking the armband at just 19 years and 58 days.
It was already shaping up to be a memorable night for the teenager, but things got even more special in the second half when Raphinha was substituted and handed him the captain’s armband.
And Yamal did not take long to mark the moment.
Just minutes later, he scored Barcelona’s fourth goal with a clever free-kick that found its way through a gap in the Feyenoord wall. He then set up Gabriel Jesus for the fifth, finishing the night with a goal, two assists and another major record to his name.
In doing so, Yamal surpassed former Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic, who had previously held the record after captaining the club as a 20-year-old in a 2010 Copa del Rey match.
Barcelona were already firmly in control before Yamal took over captaincy duties. Raphinha scored twice, while Karim Adeyemi also found the net as Barca began their European campaign with a convincing victory. But Yamal made sure he had his own big say in the result.
The responsibility of wearing the armband has not come completely out of the blue. Earlier this season, Yamal was named as part of Barcelona’s captaincy group alongside Raphinha, Pedri, Eric Garcia and Frenkie de Jong.
“It’s something to be proud of at 19 years old,” Yamal was quoted as saying. “It’s a position that comes with responsibilities, even if I’m only 19.”
The latest milestone follows an equally remarkable summer with Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yamal made his mark during the tournament, including scoring Spain’s opening goal in a 4–0 group-stage win over Saudi Arabia, 10 minutes into his first World Cup start.
Spain went on to lift the trophy after defeating Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final, with Yamal returning to Barcelona as a world champion at just 19.
Now, barely months later, he has another feather in his cap, adding to a career that is already collecting milestones at remarkable speed.
Source: Khaleej Times