Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to represent Barcelona in La Liga when he came off the bench in Saturday’s win at home to Real Betis.
Born in July 2007, the 15-year-old breaks the modern-day La Liga record previously held by Ansu Fati, who was also on the pitch when Yamal came off the bench.
The youngest player to leave for Barcelona before Fati was Armand Martinez Sagi, who only joined La Blaugrana shortly before his 16th birthday in April 1922.
Yamal has finally made his senior debut after featuring in the squads of recent games, with manager Xavi explaining his early promotion to the first-team squad.
“Everyone who is there can participate,” Xavi said. “[Yamal] is very talented, despite being 15 years old. He has personality, talent, an individual approach, he is strong… He is a player who can define an important era at the club.
“He’s happy, grateful and happy to be on the roster. If he happens to have to play, I’m sure he can help us.”
With Yamal still on a youth contract, it is possible that he could be snapped up on the cheap by sides across Europe, although Xavi has also insisted that throwing him into the senior team is not a tactic to convince him to stay.
