"The best is yet to come", "Bro owns Madrid" - Barcelona fans react as Lamine Yamal wins Golden Boy award 2024
Barcelona fans have hailed Lamine Yamal on social media after he won the Golden Boy award this year. The coveted award is handed to the best footballer for the past year under the age of 23.
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham won the award last year and Yamal has now secured the trophy for 2024. The 17-year-old also won the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony last month.
Barcelona supporters were understandably over the moon following Lamine Yamal's win and took to social media to share their thoughts. One fan pointed out that Yamal is bound to get even better, commenting:
"The best is yet to come."
Another suggested that the Spaniard is Real Madrid's bane, posting:
"Bro owns Madrid."
Another added:
"The only Yamal we know."
One fan insisted that there was no competition in the race, stating:
"No competition lol."
Another chimed:
"Yes! It had to be him and no one. Congratulations my boy."
Another insisted that Lamine Yamal deserved it ahead of Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho, commenting:
"Well deserved, not that talentless Garnacho."
Yamal was outstanding for Barcelona last season, registering seven goals and nine assists from 50 games. He has also been in scintillating form under Hansi Flick this campaign, scoring six goals and setting up eight more from 16 games.
The Spaniard is currently sidelined with an ankle injury he picked up earlier this month. However, Flick has already stated that the teenager will be back for the Catalans for this weekend's game against Las Palmas.
How many Barcelona players have won the Golden Boy Award before Lamine Yamal?
Lamine Yamal is the fourth Barcelona player to win the Golden Ball award, which has been awarded since 2003. While the award was initially handed by Tuttosport, there are a number of leading newspapers that participate in the voting process at the moment.
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi was the first player from the Catalan club to win the award in 2005. Following the diminutive Argentinean's win, the LaLiga giants had a long absence at the awards.
However, the lull was broken by Pedri, who was adjudged the best young footballer by leading newspapers across Europe in 2021. Gavi won the award in the following year.
Yamal's win now means three of the last four winners are from Barcelona. It is also a testament to La Masia, which is widely regarded as one of the finest academies in the world.