Barcelona v Rayo Vallecano - Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Spain.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Madrid: Spain has become one of European soccer's most fertile grounds for producing world-class players who seem to break out at ever younger ages, with Barcelona's 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal the latest to make headlines and ready to star at Euro 2024.
Following in the footsteps of fellow Barca academy teenage sensations Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati, Yamal has established himself as an important part of Barca's forward line and is expected to be highly influential at the tournament.
Yamal will turn 17 one day before the final, as Spain brace for the challenge of a highly anticipated Group B showdown in the so-called "Group of Death" alongside Croatia, European champions Italy and surprise package Albania in Germany.
Spain have been relying on young players as they try to rise from the shadows of a golden generation who enjoyed an historic six-year spell, winning back to back Euros in 2008 and 2012 while lifting the nation's first World Cup in between in 2010.
Pedri was a key part of Spain's run to the semi-finals of the last European Championship and, along with his club performances, won the 2021 Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under 21.
He was followed by his team mate Gavi, who won the two trophies the following year and was Spain's darling at Qatar 2022, where he became the youngest World Cup scorer since Pele in 1958 after helping his side to thrash Costa Rica 7-0.
But Yamal emerged from Barca's La Masia academy to break several records in 2023, some of which belonged to Gavi including Barcelona's youngest debutant in an official match and Spain's youngest international and scorer aged 16.
Yamal has thrived under the guidance of Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, who has experience with young players after a decade with the federation's (RFEF) grassroots teams, winning the Euros with the Under-19s in 2015 and Under-21s in 2019.
De la Fuente has been willing to give chances to youngsters, calling up Barca's 17-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi recently and trusting in Athletic Bilbao's 21-year-old winger Nico Williams alongside Yamal, giving Spain an electric duo up-front.
"This kind of footballer is a special breed," De la Fuente told Reuters in an interview. "It's unusual for a 16-year-old boy to have that kind of self-confidence, the ability to play and look like a veteran. Because only the chosen ones have that.
"I'm not surprised by their potential and I think that we coaches need to give them the opportunity, balance, security and stability and help them to enjoy the moment, to be responsible and to put their talent, that super talent they have, at the service of the collective so the entire team grows and thrives."