Who Won the U.S. Presidential Debate?

Major sporting tournaments have always set pedestals for young athletes to propel themselves to superstardom. Like every other footballing event in the world of sports, the UEFA European tourney in each edition has always afforded a curtain call for young players to step forward and shine under the spotlight.

At Euro 2004, a certain Merseyside-born Wayne Rooney stepped up to the fore and bedazzled football fans, a performance that played an integral role towards his stellar career with English football giants Manchester United afterwards. A certain Portuguese wiz-kid in the person of Renato Sanches, was the breakout star at Euro 2016. He took the entire football fandom by storm and waltzed his way to lift the coveted trophy at the end of the tournament and later bagged a dream move to Bayern Munich; whatever happens to them afterwards upon making heads turn their way is a matter for separate discussion as longevity at the top of the game is never guaranteed. Still, when announcing themselves to the world on the big stage, the UEFA Euros tournament has served as one superb platform.

Spanish and Barcelona, teen sensation Lamine Yamal is one sight for sore eyes every time the cameras spot him on the field of play. This young football magician is currently 16 years of age— yes, just 16 years old, coming into the Euro 2024 tournament as the youngest to play in it by beating the previous record by about nine months. The Barcelona prodigy beat the benchmark set by Premier League side Brighton FC and Poland's Kacper Kozłowski, who made his competition debut at EURO 2020 at just 17 years 246 days. England's Jude Bellingham briefly had the record aged 17 years and 349 days when he faced Croatia at Euro 2020 before Kozlowski broke it six days later, and merely looking at Yamal and his stats add to the bewilderment, leaving one to wonder if their eyes are playing tricks on them.

This 5 foot 10-inch tall left-footed right-winger has already bagged seven country appearances so far with two goals to add to that and has been primed for a breakout tournament in Germany both performance and personality-wise. So far, his personality has already preceded him.

Yamal became the youngest player to make a football debut for FC Barcelona, where he currently plies his trade (15 years, nine months and 16 days old in April 2023) the week before becoming the youngest to play for FC Barcelona's team B. He has already established himself as a key player in his debut campaign, registering seven goals and ten assists, including Barca's "goal of the season" against Mallorca. He holds a few other records: youngest goalscorer in the history of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup— his braces don't even help matters each time he smiles and shows some teeth.

Now, coming into the Euros championship, Yamal holds many other records for the Spanish team. He currently is the youngest player ever to represent Spain, the youngest player to score for Spain— his debut against Georgia in a Euro 2024 qualifier last September, and the youngest player to give a goal assist for Spain. Indeed, it is too incredible even to imagine.

In his last two international games, this young magician has mustered four assists (a 3-3 draw vs Brazil in March 5-1 win vs Northern Ireland).

He's expected to feature heavily for Spain at the ongoing Euro 2024. It wouldn't be too much to ask if suggestions have it that he could be in line for some considerable impact delivery playing in this tournament, just like that of Pedri for Spain at Euro 2020, and should Spain end up winning the Euro 2024 trophy, Yamal would have turned 17 on the eve of the final. What better way to celebrate your birthday than lifting your first international trophy and helping your country to its first piece of silverware in over 12 years?

Lamine Yamal is currently 16 years old and 338 days old. Long before now, he had been tipped to take the record and duly earn his place in the history books when he started against Croatia at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Upon lacing his boots and taking to the field for the Spanish national team, the Barcelona teenager was making his eighth appearance for Spain. He not only quickly impressed onlookers but once again shattered the records as the youngest EURO player to serve up an assist in the EURO finals game after making his debut in the match against Croatia and setting up Dani Carvajal's goal and the third for Luis de la Fuente's Spanish side in their 3-0 Group B opener victory. Naturally, this lad keeps placing himself as a gift that keeps on giving.

The big stage doesn't seem to deter Yamal, thanks to his impressive performances against the top opposition in the club and country. Watching him play against Croatia as he featured on one flank and Athletic Bilbao's 21-year-old Nico Williams on the other, I saw that he thrived very well in his usual one-v-ones and never looked tired of taking on his man.

THE 2023/2024 PREMIER LEAGUE PRIZE MONEY

Yamal even revealed recently that he would be handling school homework alongside his football while at the Euros in Germany; he said,

"I brought my homework here because I am in the 4th year of ESO [the last year of compulsory school]. "I have classes online, and I'm doing well. I hope the teacher doesn't suspend me!"

'I have online classes, too, and those are going fine. I hope the teacher doesn't get mad at me.'

The ESO is the third stage of the Spanish education system, and this is compulsory for students between the ages of 12 and 16.

The future of his career can only call for consistency, owing to his age. Still, it shouldn't be something of an issue for the Barcelona forward due to how well he has handled himself so far and keeps on showing how more than capable he is when deciding in an instant what should be a goal or a defence-splitting pass during live play.