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Spain’s Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to ever score at a men’s European Championship on Tuesday, with a goal against France in their semifinal match.
The 16-year-old Yamal scored in the 21st minute, collecting the ball in the final third and setting himself up for a left-footed shot that curled above France goalkeeper Mike Maignan into the top left corner off the inside of the post, into the back of the net. Yamal turns 17 on July 13th.
Yamal’s goal broke a record held by the previous youngest scorer, Switzerland’s Johan Vonlathen. Vonlathen was 18 years and 141 days old when he scored a goal against France. Vonlathen’s goal came just four days after England’s Wayne Rooney had set the youngest goal-scorer record.
Yamal had already become the youngest player to ever feature at a Euro at 16 years and 338 days old when he took the field for Spain’s Group B win over Croatia. The Barcelona star has played a key role for Spain throughout Euro 2024, appearing in all six of Spain’s games so far, starting in five of them. He had an assist in the first game of the tournament against Croatia and picked up assists in each of Spain’s first two knockout round games. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said of Yamal after the Croatia game: “He just keeps on breaking records. He’s growing, maturing and getting better every day. He’s on the path to be a great player, but he’s very young and we have to be patient with him.”
Yamal’s goal tied the semifinal game at 1-1; not long after Yamal scored, France defender Jules Kounde deflected a ball inside the box by Dani Olmo into the goal to give Spain a 2-1 lead.
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