Lamine Yamal becomes Spain's youngest ever player and scorer

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Lamine Yamal becomes Spain's youngest ever player and scorer

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has become the youngest player to ever represent Spain's senior side, while he also scored on debut.

Yamal came off the bench during La Roja's Euro 2024 qualifier away at Georgia on Friday evening, replacing the injured Dani Olmo on the stroke of half-time with their side already 4-0 up - a brace from Alvaro Morata, an own goal and one from Olmo saw the visitors race into a huge lead.

Morata completed his hat-trick and Nico Williams got in on the act after the break, while Watford midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze pulled one back for Georgia.

With under 20 minutes remaining, the ball fell kindly to Yamal just inside the Georgia penalty area, and he picked out the far top corner with a scintillating strike.

At the age of 16 years and 57 days, Yamal breaks the appearance record previously set by teammate Gavi, who was 17 years and 62 days when he first played for Spain.

Ahead of Friday's match, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente gushed over Yamal's quality, telling a press conference: "Lamine Yamal seemed very good to me, watching him on TV. But now that I'm working with him, I think he's much better."

The forward is continuing to break records having already become the youngest player to represent Barcelona's first team towards the end of the 2022/23 season. He was used as a substitute in a win against Real Betis at the age of 15 years and 290 days.

Yamal then became the youngest starter in the modern history of La Liga when he played from the off in a win over Cadiz aged 16 years and 38 days. This also set the record as the youngest starter for Barcelona.