Since bursting onto the scene last season, Lamine Yamal has quickly evolved from a promising prospect into one of the most exciting young players in world soccer. The FC Barcelona and Spain national team phenom continues to make history—and now he’s won an award that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo ever achieved.
At just 17 years old, Yamal stunned the soccer world by leading Spain to victory at Euro 2024, a performance that earned him both the Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy as the best U-21 player in the world. Now, he has added another major accolade to his growing résumé.
Yamal has been named Breakthrough of the Year at the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards, an annual ceremony honoring individuals or teams who have delivered a breakthrough performance on the global stage. At the event held Monday in Madrid, the Barcelona winger topped a strong field that included Julien Alfred, Summer McIntosh, Letsile Tebogo, and Victor Wembanyama.
Lionel Messi was nominated for the same award in 2006 after a breakout year at Barcelona but ultimately lost out to tennis star Rafael Nadal. Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, was never nominated for the breakthrough award during his rise.
Due to Barcelona’s upcoming match against Mallorca on Tuesday, Yamal was unable to attend the ceremony in person. The award was instead presented to the 17-year-old by former player and member of Barcelona’s coaching staff, Thiago Alcantara.
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With this recognition, Yamal becomes the fifth Spanish athlete to win the award, joining Sergio Garcia (2000, 2018), Rafael Nadal (2006), Marc Márquez (2014), and Carlos Alcaraz (2023). He’s also just the second soccer player ever to claim the honor, following Jude Bellingham’s win in 2024.
Yamal’s sights set on the top Laureus prize?
Often referred to as the “Oscars of Sports,” the Laureus Awards are considered among the highest honors in the athletic world. While the Breakthrough of the Year award is a major milestone, Yamal may one day contend for the most coveted individual honor: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.
Lionel Messi has won that award twice—first in 2020 and again in 2023 following Argentina’s World Cup triumph. Cristiano Ronaldo, despite five nominations (2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018), has never taken home the title. With his meteoric rise and elite-level performances, it remains to be seen whether Yamal can one day surpass both legends on the Laureus stage.
