Time flies. And anyone who says otherwise should ask Lamine Yamal. On April 29, 2023, Xavi Hernández made him the youngest debutant in FC Barcelona history at just 15 years and 290 days old. Now, two years and one day after stepping onto the pitch at the Camp Nou, Lamine Yamal will play his 100th match for Barcelona in the first leg against Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinals.

It's been two years since Lamine Yamal’s debut with Barcelona.

There are moments people always remember—where they were when a historic event occurred… and surely every Barcelona fan remembers exactly where they were when Lamine Yamal made his debut with Barcelona. His name had already been making the rounds in the media for months. But it wasn’t until April 29, 2023, that he made his official debut in a match against Betis, part of Matchday 32 of LaLiga. He came on with just over five minutes remaining, replacing Gavi, and still had time to show flashes of brilliance on a Camp Nou pitch he quickly won over.

That was the only match he played that season. However, Ousmane Dembélé's departure that summer opened the door to the first team… and he didn’t hesitate to knock it down. So much so that he ended up playing 50 matches that season, earning himself a spot on Spain’s roster for a Euro Cup they would go on to win—with him as the youngest player in history to do so.

How many matches did Messi play for Barcelona before turning 18?

That, without a doubt, was the turning point in the early career of Lamine Yamal, who has only continued to grow ever since—becoming one of the best players in the world at just 17. The numbers speak for themselves: 21 goals and 33 assists in 99 matches wearing the Barcelona jersey. That’s over 50 goal contributions… and 38 of them have come this season. If there were an NBA-style “Most Improved Player” award, it would surely go to Lamine Yamal.

Naturally, as he reiterated in the press conference before the match against Inter Milan, Lamine Yamal wants to avoid comparisons with Leo Messi. However, it’s impossible not to draw them. For perspective, Messi only played nine matches for Barcelona before turning 18—that’s 10 times fewer than the total already reached by Lamine Yamal, whose age has long since stopped being relevant in the eyes of fans and critics alike.