Spain’s Lamine Yamal, 16, Makes Euro History While Acing High School Exams

At 16 years and 338 days, Lamine Yamal is the youngest player to participate in a European Championship. The Spanish international of Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean origin entered the field against Croatia on June 15. In the middle of the Euro, the young Barça striker has just obtained his high school diploma in Spain (ESO). "I turned on my phone, I told my mother and I left happy," said the young player who is racking up precocity records.

Lamine Yamal now dreams of scoring a goal against Georgia this Sunday in the round of 16 to become the youngest goalscorer in the history of the competition. The Roja prodigy will be 17 the day before the Euro final and hopes that his team will win Euro 2024 so that he can celebrate these two events. "On July 13, I hope to celebrate both," he said on the "Radioestadio Noche" show on Onda Cero.

The Spanish international also explained why he chose not to participate in the next Paris Olympics. "To be honest with myself, I want to have a very long career. And if something happened to me this year, I would be very angry with myself and I think I have time to participate in the Olympics. Obviously, it will depend on the coach who will be there at that time, but I will be ready next time," said the Barça striker.

Yamal also spoke about the arrival of Hansi Flick at Barça, replacing Xavi Hernandez. "The day Xavi left was very sad because he was the coach who trusted me and who made me debut. And when Flick arrived, I was also very excited. He’s a coach who has won titles, he’s won a sextuple and I can’t wait to start with him," said the 16-year-old player, who avoids comparing himself to Leo Messi, "the best player in history." "I hope to have half his career."