Lamine Yamal becomes youngest Barcelona captain in historic night against Feyenoord

Lamine Yamal made Barcelona history on Wednesday by becoming the youngest captain in the club’s history during their UEFA Champions League meeting with Feyenoord.

The 19-year-old was handed the armband after Pedri and Raphinha were substituted, with the Brazilian passing it to Yamal as he left the field.

Yamal then marked the occasion in style, scoring a superb free-kick in the 77th minute to add another memorable moment to his growing list of achievements at Barcelona.

Yamal handed captaincy

Pedri was replaced in the 63rd minute before Raphinha followed eight minutes later.

With Barcelona’s two primary captains no longer on the pitch, Raphinha handed the armband to Yamal, who took charge for the remainder of the match.

The winger had already been selected as part of Barcelona’s five-man leadership group alongside Eric Garcia and Frenkie de Jong.

With Garcia suspended and De Jong unavailable through injury, Yamal became the next player in line to captain the side.

Stunning free-kick caps historic night

Yamal added to the occasion in the 77th minute when he produced a superb free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.

His effort travelled through the wall and beat the goalkeeper, prompting the teenager to immediately run towards the bench to celebrate with Raphinha.

The celebration carried added significance because Raphinha had only handed Yamal the captain’s armband six minutes earlier.

By taking over as captain, Yamal surpassed the previous record held by Bojan Krkić and became the youngest player to lead Barcelona.

‘Something to be proud of’

Yamal had spoken about his inclusion in Barcelona’s leadership group before the Feyenoord match, acknowledging the responsibility that comes with the role despite his young age.

“It’s something to be proud of at 19 years old. I’m very grateful to my teammates. It’s a position that comes with responsibilities, even if I’m only 19, but I’m very happy,” Yamal said.

The captaincy and goal provided another landmark moment in the young winger’s rapidly developing Barcelona career.