Spain and Barca’s Lamine Yamal wins 2024 Golden Boy award
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Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal was chosen for the Golden Boy award ahead of Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Paris St Germain’s Warren Zaire-Emery.
PHOTO: FC BARCELONA
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BARCELONA – Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has clinched the 2024 Golden Boy award, capping a year in which he helped Spain win Euro 2024.
At 17 years and four months, he is the youngest winner of the prize, Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport reported on Nov 27.
The award recognises players under the age of 21 playing in Europe, and Yamal was chosen ahead of Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, 19, and Paris Saint-Germain’s 18-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery.
Yamal was named Young Player of Euro 2024 in Germany, where he became the youngest player to appear in the Finals and his goal in the 2-1 semi-final win over France made him the tournament’s youngest scorer.
He then became the youngest player to win the Euro when Spain beat England 2-1 in the final.
At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in October, he won the Kopa Trophy for Best World Player Under 21, while coming eighth in the overall award.
Yamal has continued his excellent form this season, scoring five goals in 12 league games for Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona, where he came through the club’s La Masia academy, like Lionel Messi.
England and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham picked up the prize last season and past winners include France striker Kylian Mbappe and former England forward Wayne Rooney.
Yamal is the fourth Barca player to win it after Gavi, Pedri and Messi.
Barcelona’s 18-year-old attacking midfielder Vicky Lopez won the Golden Girl award.
Yamal is currently injured with an ankle injury but it would not be too long before he is back in action again.
Barcelona defeated French side Brest 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek, thanks to a Robert Lewandowski brace and a goal from Dani Olmo.
It was the third straight match that Yamal has missed owing to his injury.
After the victory, Barca coach Hansi Flick was seen sharing a passionate and lengthy conversation with the teenager on the touchline, with many curious to know what he said.
The German later shared during his post-match press conference that he had simply given Yamal some words of encouragement.
“I told him that I hope he’ll be with us on Saturday against Las Palmas. He’ll train with us tomorrow,” Flick said.
The 59-year-old, a former Bayern Munich and Germany coach before his move to Barcelona, had earlier praised Yamal for his exceptional qualities.
“We all know how talented he is and how his quality on the pitch can impact a game,” Flick said before the clash against Brest.
“Lamine has a quality that allows you to have more control of possession but also makes the opponent give us more space.
“I think and hope that this will be the last game he misses because today he was looking very good (in training) but we will have to wait.
“I hope that on Saturday he will be an option...
“Maybe from the bench... but we’ll see.” REUTERS
