Spain’s 16-Year-Old Star Lamine Yamal Faces Legal Hurdle at Euro 2024

At just 16 years old, Lamine Yamal is participating with the Roja in his first European Championship, which is taking place in Germany. The Moroccan-born striker is the only minor at the Euro and would not be able to play in Germany, where legislation prohibits the employment of minors under 18 after 8 pm, local media report, adding that Spain risks a fine of 30,000 euros if Lamine Yamal enters the game against Albania (1-0).

However, this law makes an exception for athletes who can work until 11 pm, explains an expert cited by the media ZDF, who specifies that no such measure has yet been taken by the German authorities in the field of sports. Ultimately, Spain does not risk any sanctions if Lamine Yamal takes the field during a Euro match. For now, Luis de la Fuente has not started the Moroccan-born player for the matches against Italy and Albania, both of which were won by the Roja by the narrowest of margins.