Nine days after becoming Barcelona’s youngest player to score 50 goals, Lamine Yamal was wearing the captain’s armband. His latest milestone arrived during a 5–1 Champions League win over Feyenoord on September 9, with another goal still to come.
He’d reached 50 at a younger age than Lionel Messi, but finishing only explains part of his contribution. Yamal’s first 120 Barcelona games also established him as a creator. Against Feyenoord, he supplied two assists alongside his goal, helping to make the opening night of Barcelona’s European campaign a comfortable one.
The scoring landmark had arrived against Rayo Vallecano on August 31. At 19 years and 49 days, Yamal struck his 50th first-team goal with a left-footed finish into the top corner. He added another before the end of the 5–2 victory, leaving the pitch with 51.
Less than three years separated that double from his first Barcelona goal, away to Granada on October 8, 2023. Two more followed in the 5–0 win at Valencia on September 6, taking him to 53 before the Champions League began. The next addition to his record would be a responsibility rather than a finish.
From 50 goals to Barcelona’s youngest captain
Raphinha handed Yamal the armband when he was substituted in the 71st minute against Feyenoord. At 19 years and 58 days, Yamal became the youngest captain in Barcelona’s first-team history. Bojan Krkić had held the record, having captained the club at 20 in a 2010 Copa del Rey match.
Yamal had already been named the squad’s fifth captain, joining Raphinha, Pedri, Eric Garcia and Frenkie de Jong in its leadership group. He wasn’t replacing that hierarchy or becoming the permanent first choice. His turn came when the substitution moved the armband down the established order.
“It’s an honour to be Barça captain. I’m very grateful. It’s a role that makes me feel more responsible,” he said before the Feyenoord match.
Six minutes after receiving the armband, he scored. His free-kick found a gap in Feyenoord’s defensive wall and made it 4–0. In the 85th minute, a cross from the right gave Gabriel Jesus the chance to score his first Barcelona goal.
The scoring was spread across Hansi Flick’s 300-goal Barcelona attack again. Raphinha finished with two goals, while Karim Adeyemi and Jesus also contributed. Yamal could supply the final touch himself or create it for someone else.
His club tally stood at 54 after Feyenoord. The 50-goal milestone had placed him ahead of Messi by age. His first evening with the armband ended with a goal of his own and an assist for a teammate’s first.
