Barcelona Wonderkid Lamine Yamal Wins Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award
Barcelona’s rising star, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, added another feather to his cap on Monday as he clinched the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award at the prestigious 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards.
Yamal has been a standout performer for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team, delivering an exceptional season for the Catalan giants with six goals and twelve assists in La Liga, along with three crucial goals in the Champions League. He also played a pivotal role in Spain’s triumph at the UEFA European Championship, where he was named the Young Player of the Tournament.
Despite having a crucial La Liga fixture against RCD Mallorca scheduled less than 24 hours after the Laureus Awards ceremony in Madrid, Yamal couldn’t attend the event in person. However, he expressed his gratitude through a heartfelt video message.
The Laureus Awards, known for celebrating excellence across a wide spectrum of sports, honored Yamal amidst stiff competition from nominees such as Julien Alfred (athletics), Summer McIntosh (swimming), Letsile Tebogo (athletics), Victor Wembanyama (basketball), and the German football club Bayer Leverkusen.
The star-studded event also recognized other sports icons, with Swedish pole vault sensation Mondo Duplantis bagging the Sportsman of the Year title. American gymnastics prodigy Simone Biles was crowned Sportswoman of the Year, further solidifying her status as a global sporting icon.