Yamal becomes youngest player with 100 appearances in Barcelona FC history

Barcelona, May 1 (IANS) At 17 years and 291 days old Lamine Yamal became the youngest player in FC Barcelona history to play 100 competitive games.

Yamal achieved the feat in the UEFA Champions League semifinals first leg against Inter Milan at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Thursday (IST). Furthermore, the teenager marked the occasion with a brilliant goal and hit the woodwork twice in the 3-3 draw against the Italians.

"He showed us the way because making it 2-1 was really important. He's a fantastic player and you see his quality in big games. It's great to have him here," Barca coach Hansi Flick said of Yamal.

The Spaniard has broken his teammate Gavi's record, who did the same aged 19 years and 29 days. The top 5 is rounded out by Bojan (19 years, 2 months, 24 days), Pedri (20 years, 2 months, 4 days), and Ansu Fati (20 years, 5 months, 15 days).

The milestone came after a game when the blaugranes were crowned Copa del Rey champions for the 32nd time after the grand final against Real Madrid at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville (3-2).

Last month at just 17 years and 270 days, he became the second youngest player of all time to score a Champions League goal in the quarter finals or later, topped only by Bojan (17 years and 217 days), with Jude Bellingham in third (17 years and 289 days).

Yamal marked his Barca debut two years ago on April 29, 2023. The young winger played his first minutes that day in La Liga against Betis at the Spotify Camp Nou aged 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old.

He has been making history ever since, becoming the youngest player ever to score in the in the Euros last year at the age of 16 years and 362 days, surpassing the previous record of Switzerland's Johan Vonlathen who scored in the 2004 edition at the age of 18 years and 141 days.

His age of 16 years and 68 days old during the group stage at Montjuic against Royal Antwerp (5-0) again proved to be a new record, making him the youngest player to ever debut for FC Barcelona in the Champions League, surpassing previous holder Ansu Fati.

--IANS

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