Lamine Yamal sets new record as youngest player to feature at a UEFA European Championship

Spain winger Lamine Yamal has smashed the record for youngest player to have featured at a UEFA EURO finals after taking to the field aged only 16 years 338 days against Croatia at EURO 2024.

The Barcelona prodigy beat the benchmark set by Poland's Kacper Kozłowski, who made his competition debut at EURO 2020 at the age of just 17 years 246 days.

Youngest player to appear

Lamine Yamal (16 years 338 days)
The Spain ace was long tipped to take the record and duly earned his place in the history books when he started against Croatia at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Not only did he quickly impress, he set up Dani Carvajal's goal in a 3-0 victory, naturally also making him the youngest player to serve up an assist in a EURO finals game.

EURO's youngest players
16 years 338 days: Lamine Yamal (Spain 3-0 Croatia, 15/06/2024)
17 yrs 246 days: Kacper Kozłowski (Spain 1-1 Poland, 19/06/2021)
17 yrs 349 days: Jude Bellingham (England 1-0 Croatia, 13/06/2021)
18 yrs 71 days: Jetro Willems (Netherlands 0-1 Denmark, 09/06/2012)
18 yrs 115 days: Enzo Scifo (Belgium 2-0 Yugoslavia, 13/06/1984)

Youngest goalkeeper to appear

José Ángel Iribar (21 years 108 days)
Younger goalkeepers have been included in EURO squads – Iker Casillas at UEFA EURO 2000 and Igor Akinfeev at UEFA EURO 2004 – but Iribar made the mark as the youngest keeper during Spain's 2-1 win against Hungary on 17 June 1964. Four days later he was also EURO's youngest winning goalkeeper as his team beat the USSR 2-1.

Youngest player to score

Johan Vonlanthen (18 years 141 days)
The teenage midfielder made his finals debut at UEFA EURO 2004, on the day Wayne Rooney became the youngest scorer in EURO history with two goals against Vonlanthen's Switzerland side. Vonlanthen claimed the scoring record for himself by registering against France four days later, in a 3-1 defeat on 21 June.

Young player to appear in knockout stage

Jude Bellingham (18 years four days)
Rooney held this record courtesy of his outing against Portugal in the 2004 quarter-finals. The record changed hands three times at EURO 2020, first with Pedri breaking new ground in Spain's last-16 tie against Croatia before – just a day later – Jamal Musiala overhauled him for Germany against England. Bellingham then laid down the current benchmark during England's quarter-final defeat of Ukraine.

Youngest player to appear in a final

Renato Sanches (18 years 328 days)
Having come to UEFA EURO 2016 fresh from joining Bayern from Benfica, midfielder Renato Sanches had a reputation to live up to. He did so by showing tigerish determination to force his way into the first team and then appearing in Portugal's shock final triumph against hosts France.

Youngest player to score in a final

Pietro Anastasi (20 years 64 days)
Anastasi's right-footed volley from outside the box doubled Italy's advantage against Yugoslavia in the 1968 final replay in Rome – and made the striker the youngest EURO final marksman ever. He was renowned for being the world's most expensive player when he joined Juventus from Varese in 1968.