Lamine Yamal 'promises' to repeat Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham success
Cameron Smith
- 4 Dec 2023 13:58 GMT
- 3 min read
Lamine Yamal has promised to repeat the successes of Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham and many others by winning the Golden Boy award.
Bellingham, 20, won the 2023 title following his successes with Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, while the Barcelona wonderkid was handed a prize titled ‘The Youngest’ to commemorate his achievements this year.
Yamal became the youngest player to ever win La Liga when he helped Barca triumph last campaign, and he is also the competition's youngest ever goal-scorer thanks to his strike against Granada in October 2023.
Furthermore, the Spain international is his nation’s youngest ever player, goal-scorer and starter, thanks to his goal off the bench in their 7-0 demolition of Georgia and his inclusion in the starting XI against Cyprus in September.
The 16-year-old is regarded as one of the world’s most promising young players and he is already eyeing up future success after winning ‘The Youngest’ award.
What has Yamal said?
The Golden Boy and all accompanying awards are handed out by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, who started the ceremony back in 2003.
During an interview with the publication, Yamal admitted: “It's an important award. The first I've received on an international level. I'd like to win the real one, the absolute best. I know about it, I saw who won it, even Messi, and I would like to be on that roll of honour.
“Sooner or later I'll see you in Turin, I promise.”
Lamine, the baller 🥶 pic.twitter.com/EEo6uOXhwg
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 29, 2023
The Golden Boy award, which is given to the player voted as the best U21 player of the year, is handed out in Turin and this year’s ceremony takes place on December 4.
Messi won the award in 2005 following his emergence onto the senior stage at Barcelona, while Paul Pogba and Wayne Rooney are among the other winners of the Golden Boy trophy.
