Former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez liked what he saw. He was watching Barcelona’s cadets (the 14-15 year olds) and spotted a player who stood out: Lamine Yamal. He asked about him and was told that he sometimes played with the Juvenil A team (15-16 year olds). Hernandez invited Yamal to some training sessions with the first team and was convinced about the youngster’s talent.
Barcelona then pushed for Yamal to have all the right contracts signed because Xavi felt he was ready to play with experienced stars such as Robert Lewandowski. At 15 years and 290 days, Yamal came on for Gavi in front of 88,530 against Real Betis in April 2023.
Afterwards, Hernandez said: “He’s someone who could define an era at this club. I had no concern about calling him up. He has natural talent, he’s daring and he can help us, however young he is. Youngsters these days tend to have great confidence. I look at them and it’s very different from my day. They’re fearless.”
“He surprised everyone in training,” Jordi Cruyff, then the club’s sports director, told The National. “Players gave him the ball because they trusted him – both the tough passes and the easy passes. They recognised that he could do anything with the ball. Amazing considering his age.”
There was still much work to do for the player who bypassed the club’s B team which competes in Spain’s third tier. Even Lionel Messi had to play B team football.
Yamal played only 23 minutes of B team football. There was a pressing contract issue; Yamal was able to leave the club he’d been at since he was seven years old for free at the end of the 2024 season. Barcelona did their best to tie him down to a longer deal.
Yamal had been taught to attack as he came through Barcelona’s youth system but he needed to learn to run back and defend when his team lost possession. Raphinha was the model of how to do this on and off the ball. Yamal learnt quickly and he’s since made the right-wing position – one previously occupied by the Brazilian – his own.
Yamal, who’ll represent Spain at Euro 2024, has been smashing records because of his age. He is the youngest ever player to play for Barcelona since the early debut in 2022, then at 16 years and 38 days, the youngest in the 21st century to start a La Liga game, the youngest to score in the league, to start a Champions league game (16 years, 83 days), to play in a classico, to score in the Copa del Rey. And so on.
To show he wasn’t a one hit wonder, he became the youngest to make 50 appearances for Barcelona’s first team. That milestone was in May towards the end of a season when he also scored seven times and made 10 assists from the right.
For his country, Yamal became the youngest ever debutant for Spain – 16 years, 57 days in September 2023, scoring in a 7-1 European qualifier in Georgia after coming on at half time. Though born just north of Barcelona, he could have played for Morocco, the country of his father or Equatorial Guinea, his mother’s country.
He chose Spain. He started the next international, another big win against Cyprus. He has become an important player in Luis de la Fuente’s side, a starter in the biggest games. He set up two goals in Saturday’s 5-1 win against Northern Ireland in Mallorca.
“It’s incredible what Lamine is doing at that age, like Nico Williams,” said Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill after the game. “They're going to be world stars.”
Yamal wasn’t unknown. He represented Spain at Under 15, 16, 17 and 19 level – yet he was doing things in reverse. He played for Spain’s Under 16s before the Under 15s and he was only 16 years and one month old when he made his full Spain debut.
If he scores or assists in Euro 2024, he will be the youngest ever player to do so in the competition.
He stands as a leading candidate for this year’s Golden Boy award – the best player in the world born in or after 2004 and playing in Europe – along with Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and Benfica’s Joao Neves.
The award will be presented in December. He is so young he could win it for the next five years. So young that he won the Golden Boy The Youngest trophy last year as the youngest of the 100 candidates for the Golden Boy award.
Yamal grew up close to Mataro, 20 kilometres north of Barcelona (his goal celebrations feature his fingers making the 304 postcode of his barrio), but he effectively lives at the club’s Masia on the other side of the city.
There, he is learning the right way. He is respectful to older players, lives a stable life in an environment which is protected 24/7. He must complete his schoolwork and behave responsibly. He does all of these.
He did change his agent which surprised some at the club, shifting from the football focused Ivan de la Pena to Jorge Mendes, but his progress as a player appears unhindered. His body strength has improved, he has learnt to play on the left wing as well on the right, but he is more comfortable on the right.
“He doesn’t always dribble inside,” noted Cruyff. “He’s a left footer but goes outside his marker and not inside. This is lacking in modern wingers. He’s an exceptional talent and his head and body are connected.
“He has the talent and desire and personality to succeed and keep improving. He’s willing to invest to improve every day and always want more. This is a formula for success.”
Yamal is fast with rapid acceleration, skilful in one-on-one situations, slender yet strong. He’s mature and makes the right decisions in games for a club who remain beset by financial issues. Though Barca remain attractive for players and their families, the club pins much hope on their greatest asset – the football factory that is La Masia.
Free of some of the geographic and political restrictions which hamper recruitment of their big English rivals, the Catalans can get the best young players from around Spain as they did with Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati. Yet Yamal was born on their doorstep.
“Sometimes we forget that these players are in an early stage of adaptation, despite the feeling that they have been in the elite for many years or that they have to be the ones to get us out of all this,” said Barcelona’s football coordinator Bojan Krkic, also a graduate of La Masia.
“In my opinion, they are too young, it's just that they are very good, but we all must support them so that the journey can be as long as possible.”
But he also said of Yamal: “He has something innate and what he does on the field requires little effort. In terms of education, we instil in them some effort, and in Yamine’s case, it was passing the fourth year of compulsory secondary education. These players have grown up knowing that being a player is important, but at the same time, they must follow a vital and formative path.”
Croatia, Italy and Albania await at Euro 2024, and the stage is set for Barcelona’s exciting young talent to demonstrate that he is both good enough and old enough.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
RESULTS
1.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winners: Hyde Park, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
2.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
2.45pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 (TB) Dh575,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Blown by Wind, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh72,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh64,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Obeyaan, Adrie de Vries, Mujeeb Rehman
4.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)
Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14
Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)
Perera 47; Sohail 2-18
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
NBA Finals results
Game 1: Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114
Game 2: Warriors 122, Cavaliers 103
Game 3: Cavaliers 102, Warriors 110
Game 4: In Cleveland, Sunday (Monday morning UAE)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
'Ashkal'
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
THREE
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if you go
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Stuttgart v Cologne (Kick-off 10.30pm UAE)
Saturday RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (5.30pm)
Mainz v Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v SC Freiburg (5.30pm)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (5.30pm)
Sunday Wolfsburg v Arminia (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim (9pm)
Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg (11.30pm)
