Age is just a number: What the data says as Yamal turns 18

Only one player has ever won both the Golden Boy award and the Ballon d’Or, and unsurprisingly, it was Lionel Messi.

Messi won the Golden Boy award in 2005, and four years later, he claimed the first of his record tally of eight Ballon d’Or triumphs, at the age of 22.

Another Barcelona sensation, Lamine Yamal, could be the next player to achieve this feat after a stellar campaign with the Catalan giants.

The teenager, who won the Golden Boy award in November 2024, is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or this year, alongside Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele.

As Yamal turns 18 years old, we look at how he compares to other wonderkids who set the football world alight.

Instant impact

While many youngsters need a few months – or even multiple seasons – to find their feet in first-team football, Yamal hit the ground running.

The winger has already registered 25 goals and 28 assists for Barcelona, directly contributing to 53 goals in all competitions.

Messi, by comparison, scored once before turning 18, while his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo found the net just five times.

But how did other big names fare at the start of their careers?

England duo Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen were two of their country’s leading stars at a young age. Owen won a Ballon d’Or at the age of 21, while Rooney made a big-money move to Manchester United at 18 and went on to become the all-time leading scorer for club and country (later losing his Three Lions crown to Harry Kane).

Nevertheless, neither Rooney (seven goals, four assists) nor Owen (six goals, three assists) produced the same end product as Yamal before their 18th birthdays.

Kylian Mbappe’s seven goals and six assists and Neymar’s 14 goals (assists not available for his early years in Brazil) were Yamal’s closest competitors.

Put your medals on the table

Part of the reason Yamal has been tipped for recognition as the world's best player is his ability to deliver trophies for club and country.

The winger won his first LaLiga title in the 2022-23 season, though he only made one appearance in the league, aged 15 years, nine months and 16 days old.

He was the youngest debutant for Barcelona since Armando Sagi in 1922.

His first big role in a trophy win came at Euro 2024 with Spain, where he played in all seven matches for his country, scoring a stunning goal in their semi-final win over France.

And Yamal carried that winning mentality into 2024-25 with Barcelona, as he helped them to a LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana treble.

By the age of 18, Messi (LaLiga) and Ronaldo (Portuguese Super Cup) had just one title to their names, while Mbappe’s early success came via one Ligue 1 title at Monaco.

Neymar, Rooney and Owen were trophyless at that age despite their promising starts, but Brazil legend Pele achieved something special in 1958, setting him apart from all other wonderkids.

He became the youngest player to win the World Cup, aged just 17, adding the coveted title to his Campeonato Paulista medal he won with Santos.

The international stage

Pele’s performances at the 1958 World Cup were special. Despite entering the tournament with a knee injury, he scored the winner against Wales in the quarter-final, a hat-trick against France in the last four and finished with a brace in the final against Sweden.

His six goals in four appearances were only bettered by Just Fontaine, whose 13 goals at the tournament are still the most at a single edition of the World Cup.

Yamal’s major tournament debut came at Euro 2024. He started six of Spain’s seven matches on their way to victory, scoring once and assisting four times.

His playmaking was pivotal for Spain throughout the competition.

He created more chances (19) than anyone else at the tournament, also leading the way for assists (four) and attempting the third-most dribbles (33).

Like Pele, Yamal also turned up in the big moments. He scored the goal of the tournament in their semi-final victory over France and assisted Nico Williams for the opening goal in the showpiece match against England.

Two other players who also showcased their talents on the international stage were Owen and Rooney.

Owen made his name known at the 1998 World Cup. He became England’s youngest goalscorer at the tournament when he scored in a group-stage match against Romania, before finding the net against Argentina in the next round with a brilliant solo goal.

Despite Owen also winning a penalty in that match, England were knocked out in a shoot-out.

Meanwhile, Rooney announced himself on the continental stage at Euro 2004. He was the youngest player to score in the competition’s history after netting a brace against Switzerland in the group stage, but that record only lasted four days before Swiss midfielder Johan Vonlanthen broke it again.

The 18-year-old Rooney scored another two goals in England's final group match against Croatia, before suffering an injury in their quarter-final defeat to Portugal.

He scored four goals in four matches at the tournament, while also providing one assist from his six chances created.

During a recent press conference in China, Yamal was asked about his next big goal. His response?

“The World Cup.”

Yamal will turn 19 the week of the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. Few would bet against him enjoying further glory before his teenage years are through.