Seeing teenagers thrive in the big-time stage of the UEFA Champions League is slowly becoming the norm. Nonetheless, FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal surpassed a Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid player.
Yamal was in the Spanish side’s starting 11 in their 5-0 victory against BSC Young Boys on Tuesday night, and the teenager also made history by starting this contest.
Squawka highlighted on X that Yamal, with nine Champions League starts, has started more Champions League games while aged under 18 than any other player in the competition’s history, overtaking Jude Bellingham and Warren Zaïre-Emery.
Lamine Yamal (9) has started more Champions League games while aged under-18 than any other player in the competition's history, overtaking Jude Bellingham and Warren Zaïre-Emery (Both 8). 💫 pic.twitter.com/WxCnLzbyZE
— Squawka (@Squawka) October 1, 2024
Yamal has one goal and two assists in 12 appearances in Europe’s top club competition. If he stays healthy for the rest of the competition, he has an opportunity to make a sizeable difference between himself and second place.
It will be interesting to see how long Yamal holds the top spot for most starts by a player who has yet to turn 18 in the Champions League, considering clubs aren’t afraid to trust teenagers even though they are under 18 in these big-time games.
