He is not old enough to work without his parents' consent, drive, or vote. Lamine Yamal has just passed the fourth year of compulsory education and has become a football star at 16 years and 362 days before being able to do everything else, a precocity greater than that of the great legends in the history of world football. Neither Maradona, Cruyff, Di Stéfano, not even Pelé shone in a major tournament as early as the Spaniard.
The Brazilian is the closest comparison. At 15, Santos took him from a shoe factory where he earned two dollars an hour while playing for Baquinho, a neighborhood club in Bauru, in the interior of Sao Paulo. He made his debut a month before turning 16 in a friendly against Corinthians, but his first official match was on April 26, 1957, at 16 years, 6 months, and three days old. A few months later, on July 7, he played his first match with Brazil: the Copa Roca against Argentina at Maracaná. They lost 2-1, but he scored the goal. His breakthrough came a year later in Sweden. On June 15, against the USSR, at 17 years, seven months, and 20 days old, he scored his first goal to lead Brazil to the World Cup and begin to forge his legendary path.
Cruyff, whom Lamine Yamal has surely heard countless stories about at La Masía, also took a bit longer to capture attention. At 12, after his father's sudden death, he joined Ajax, where he made his elite debut at 17 years, six months, and 21 days old. However, he had to wait until he was 19 to wear the 'orange', in September 1966 with a 2-2 draw against Hungary with a goal from him. That year, he also won the league. His leadership with the Netherlands was solidified in the 70s, after receiving the Ballon d'Or at 24.
The world of Cruyff may seem distant even to Lamine's father, who is only 36, but he surely remembers Diego Armando Maradona and his pure talent. The Argentine was also precocious. At 15 years, eleven months, and 20 days, he debuted with Argentinos Juniors, having already shined in his youth team, nicknamed Cebollitas. Menotti called him up to debut with Argentina at 16 years and 119 days old, but did not include him in the 1978 World Cup, one of the most bitter moments of Maradona's career, who would become a global football icon in the mid-80s, after turning 20.
At 16, Alfredo di Stefano was helping his father in the fields and with livestock. He had dropped out of school to contribute to the family's economy but not to football. He seized any opportunity to play wherever he went, and his talent reached the ears of River Plate. At 17, River Plate signed him, but he did not debut until two years later, then loaned him to Huracán before reclaiming him in 1947 and becoming a league champion, top scorer with 27 goals, and winning the South American Championship with Argentina, where he scored five goals in six matches. That same season, on December 4, 1947, he played for the first time with Argentina. He was 21 years and 147 days old. It was in Ecuador with a 7-0 victory over Bolivia in which he scored.
There is little to explain to Yamal about Zinedine Zidane, although he may remember him more as the Real Madrid coach than as a player. He also quickly reached professionalism, but it took him longer to break into the French national team. On May 18, 1989, at 16 years and 329 days old, he signed his contract with Cannes to debut in Ligue 1, but it was not until five years later, in August 1994, after the United States World Cup that the bleus did not attend, and after turning 22, that he was called up for a friendly against the Czech Republic in Bordeaux, the city and club he played for. He scored the two goals that led to a draw for France.
No one needs to explain to Lamine what Leo Messi was doing at 16, because he lives with those who knew him at La Masía. In fact, the Argentine 'sponsored' him unknowingly in a charity calendar where the 20-year-old Barça player holds a baby from Mataró who had signed up to participate in that solidarity action embraced by the club. At Yamal's age, the Argentine was already astonishing, but it was Rijkaard who brought him to the first team on November 16, 2003, at 16 years and 145 days old, in a friendly against Mourinho's Porto. His league debut was in the derby against Espanyol at Montjuic a year later. He quickly donned the albiceleste. It was in Budapest in the summer of 2005, at 18 years and 55 days old. Lamine still had two years to be born.
Cristiano and Mbappé also quickly attracted attention. At 16, the Portuguese gave his first interview after four years in the Sporting de Portugal academy. His family had moved from Funchal, Madeira, to the capital in search of progress, which came with his debut in the first division on September 29, 2002, at 17 years and 233 days old. The 2004 European Championship opened the doors to the national team a year earlier, and he made his debut just after turning 18.
Kylian Mbappé is not from the same generation, but Yamal will cross paths with him many times. In their first encounter, Mbappé emerged victorious. The Frenchman holds the record for precocity in Ligue 1 by debuting with Monaco in 2015 at 16 years and 347 days old, surpassing Thierry Henry. He scored his first goal at 17 years and 62 days old, but did not receive a senior international call-up until 2017 at 19 years old, making the Spanish youngster's precocity even more extraordinary.