Lamine Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history with a stunning strike for Spain against France in Tuesday’s semi-final in Dortmund.
The Barcelona winger broke Johan Vonlanthen’s record by almost a year and a half and here, the PA news agency looks at the teen stars to strike at the Euros.
Lamine Yamal, Spain
He is 16 years old. #EURO2024 | #ESPFRA pic.twitter.com/A479hp9XUu
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 9, 2024
v France, June 9, 2024; 16 years 362 days
The tournament’s youngest ever player broke another record when, after several near misses earlier in the tournament, he turned infield on his left foot to curl a magnificent 25-yard effort in off the far post with France goalkeeper Mike Maignan helpless.
Johan Vonlanthen, Switzerland
v France, June 21, 2004; 18 years 141 days
France were also on the receiving end 20 years ago when Vonlanthen latched on to Ricardo Cabanas’ through-ball and clipped a crisp finish back across Fabien Barthez. The goal cancelled out Zinedine Zidane’s opener only for Thierry Henry’s double to earn France victory. It was the first of only seven international goals for Vonlanthen.
Wayne Rooney, England
v Switzerland, June 17, 2004; 18 years 237 days
Rooney held the record for a brief four-day period before Vonlanthen’s strike, with a brace in the 3-0 win against the Swiss. A near-post header from Michael Owen’s cross, and celebratory somersault, was followed by a second-half strike credited to Rooney which ultimately went in off the back of goalkeeper Jorg Stiel’s head.
Renato Sanches, Portugal
v Poland, June 30, 2016; 18 years 317 days
The midfielder, viewed at the time as one of Europe’s rising stars before a nomadic up-and-down career, exchanged passes with Nani before firing home low left-footed from the edge of the box. It earned a 1-1 draw and led to a successful penalty shoot-out for the eventual champions.
Dragan Stojkovic, Yugoslavia
v France, June 19, 1984; 19 years 108 days
The head coach for Serbia’s Euro 2024 group exit made a more positive impact on the competition 40 years previously with what was then Yugoslavia, even if his penalty proved a mere consolation after tournament top scorer Michel Platini’s hat-trick for Les Bleus.
Guler on list of 10 teens
Turkey starlet Arda Guler entered the list in fifth with his brilliant strike against Georgia in this year’s group stage, until Barca star Yamal bumped his Real Madrid rival from the top five with a virtual carbon copy.
Next up in seventh is Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted for Portugal aged 19 years and 128 days against Greece in 2004’s group stage – the two teams contested both the first and last match of that tournament. Twenty years on, Ronaldo missed out on becoming the oldest Euros goalscorer when his penalty was saved by Slovenia’s Jan Oblak.
Ten teenagers in all have scored in the competition’s history, a list completed by Hungary’s Ferenc Bene against Spain in 1964 and, both against England, Christian Chivu for Romania in 2000 and the Netherlands’ Patrick Kluivert in 1996.