MUNICH (AP) — Lamine Yamal became the youngest player ever to score at a major tournament when the 16-year-old netted a stunning goal for Spain against France in their European Championship semifinal on Tuesday.
Yamal struck in the 21st minute, brilliantly curling the ball past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan from 25 yards and into the top left corner.
Yamal is 16 years and 362 days old. Pele held the previous record for a major tournament after the Brazil great netted against Wales at the 1958 World Cup at the age of 17 years, 239 days.
The previous youngest scorer at a European Championship was Swiss player Johan Vonlanthen (18 years, 141 days), against France at Euro 2004.
Yamal came to Euro 2024 with a bunch of ‘youngest’ records, and has inevitably set more. He became the youngest player to feature at a men’s Euro when he started in Spain’s opening 3-0 win over Croatia.
The Barcelona teenager was already the youngest player to debut and score in the Spanish league at 15, the youngest player to start in the Champions League and the youngest to score for Spain.
Yamal’s goal Tuesday canceled out Randal Kolo Muani’s opener for France — that was set up by Kylian Mbappé, who was playing without a mask. Spain led France 2-1 at halftime
Spain turned the match around four minutes after Yamal’s equalizer when Dani Olmo’s goalbound-shot was turned into his own net by France defender Jules Koundé. It was originally adjudged by UEFA to have been an own-goal but was later awarded to Olmo.
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AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024