Where Does Lamine Yamal Ranks among the Best Teenage footballers of all Time
Lamine Yamal is arguably in the debate of the best teenage footballers of all time.
His exploits in the last two seasons have earned him comparisons with some of the best teenage footballers of the past.
The Spaniard has played his way into the hearts of fans, making him become a household name in what is only his third season as a professional footballer.
Yamal is a joy to behold, and he is being tipped to win the Balon d’Or in the future. He announced his name to the world in the 2024 EURO tournament, where he led the Spanish team to victory.
He played a crucial role in the tournament, scoring a vital equalizer against France in the semi-final as well as providing an assist in the final against England to emerge the best young player in the competition.
Lamine Yamal was only sixteen years old when the 2024 Euro competition began and turned seventeen just a few days into the final of the competition.
His exploit at the tournament saw him emerge as one of the best teenage footballers of all time in the EURO tournament.
But before Lamine Yamal, the game witnessed several teenage sensations who mesmerized fans at young age and went on to become legends of the sports.
This begs the question, where does Lamine Yamal rank in the list of the best teenage footballers of all time?
Some of the Best Teenage Footballers of All Time
Lionel Messi
The Argentine footballer broke into the limelight at such a young age. Messi made his first senior team debut as a 16-year-old as a Barcelona player in a friendly match against Porto.
His mesmerizing performance in that match caught the eyes of scouts and observers who immediately marked him for greatness.
He was later invited to join the senior team fully, where he began a journey that has seen compared to legends of the game like Pele and Maradona.
As a teenager, Lionel Messi led the Argentine U20 team to win the FIFA Youth Championship in 2005. He was voted the best player in the tournament.
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Also, the Argentine played a part in Barcelona’s run to victory in the 2005-06 Uefa Champions League Tournament. He missed out on the final of the competition against Arsenal due to injury.
Messi shone brightly as a teenage player but was not quite the star of his team due to several senior players in the team.
Barcelona had club legends like Ronaldinho, Deco, Samuel Eto and Xavi. This made him relaxed while learning the ropes of the game.
Unlike Lamine Yamal who is indispensable for club and country at such a young age.
The former Barcelona player also featured in the 2006 World Cup as a teenager but was largely used as a substitute.
He is undoubtedly one of the best teenage footballers of all time, but one would argue that Messi was a better player than Yamal as a teenager.
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is another footballer who broke into the limelight as a teenager, the Frenchman emerged from AS Monaco youth system. He broke into the Monaco first team in 2015 where he formed a prolific striking partnership with Radamel Falcao.
His outrageous outing in the 2016-17 Uefa Champions League announced him as the next big thing in the sport. Mbappe would go on to win some awards reserved for young players.
He won the Kopa trophy and Golden Boy awards as a teenager to highlight his amazing ability as a young player.
In addition to the individual awards, what makes the Real Madrid striker rank among the best teenage footballers in the world was his exploit in the 2018 World Cup tournament.
His role in the 2018 World Cup was reminiscent of Pele’s impact on the Brazil national team in 1958. The Frenchman was dubbed the new Pele after the tournament.
Mbappe’s highlight in the tournament came against Messi’s Argentine team in the quarter-final. The teenage French sensation almost single-handedly won his team the game.
Also, in the final of the World Cup, Mbappe impressed fans, leading his team to an emphatic victory against Croatia.
His out in the 2018 World Cup makes a case for the Frenchman as one of the best teenage players of all time.
Ronaldo Delima
Ronaldo is one of the finest players the game has ever witnessed. Known for his pace, dribbling skills and shooting prowess. Ronaldo was entertaining and a joy to behold in his heydays.
The prolific striker made his senior club appearance with the Brazilian team, Cruzeiro in the 1993-94 season, scoring an impressive 34 goals in 34 appearances for the club.
The numbers were too good to ignore for a teenager playing in his debut season as a professional player. His outrageous debut season earned him a call-up to the national team.
He was part of the Brazil contingent that won the World Cup in 1994, but he played almost no part in the tournament due to a stack of players like Romario, Bebeto, and Paulo Sergio.
After the World Cup, the teenage Ronaldo signed with PSV in the Netherlands where he played two seasons, scoring 42 goals in 46 appearances.
His numbers were too surreal for a teenage player, making him earn a shout as one of the youngest players of all time.
He holds the record as the youngest player to win the Balon d’Or award, though not as a teenager. He won the French top football prize at the age of 21.
Pele
Pele is regarded by many as the finest player to ever kick a football. The story of the man who is regarded by many as the face of the sport is inspirational and highly motivating.
The legendary Brazilian first wrote his name in gold in the hearts of Brazilians and indeed to many around the world in 1958. A teenage footballer with little experience was included in the Brazil squad in search of their first World Cup glory.
Young Pele with little experience was instrumental to Brazil lifting their first World Cup trophy. His skills, pace and goals contributed to Brazil’s success.
His success made him a reference for young players doing exploits in the game.
Conclusion of best teenage footballers
Lamine Yamal is currently writing his story and has won the Kopa trophy at such a young age. He has also won some major trophies like the Euro and La Liga.
He is regarded as one of the best young players in football presently, but the question remains, has he done enough to enter the debate of the best teenage footballers of all time?
