Lamine Yamal’s ascension to the Barcelona first squad has reverberated beyond the borders of European soccer. Making the senior Spanish national squad at the tender age of 16 is more evidence of the effect he has already made. 

The best footballers under the age of 21 are honored with the Golden Boy Award, presented by Tuttosport. Alejandro Balde and Gavi, two young players with bright futures, both hail from Barcelona; Gavi won the award last year, following in the footsteps of another Barça star Pedri.

Since its establishment in 2003, the 100 Golden Boy Nominees list has grown in importance and prestige, and Lamine Yamal’s nomination is a tremendous achievement. It is apparent that Barcelona’s young players continue to win worldwide attention, as seen by statistical research from Football BenchMark, a data platform that emphasizes Yamal’s stunning ascension to the top.

This heritage can be traced back to the 2010 Ballon d’Or podium photo, which included La Masia alumni Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi Hernández.

Gavi, the current holder of the Golden Boy, and Pedri, who will take over in 2021, continue a historical trend of Barcelona players winning the award.

Will another player trained at La Masia eventually become the best player in the world?