Lamine Yamal sets new Champions League teenage record after Ballon d’Or claims

Lamine Yamal overtook Kylian Mbappe to become the most prolific teenage goal contributor in UEFA Champions League history, just hours after making pointed comments about the Frenchman in the Ballon d’Or debate.

The Barcelona forward created a goal for team-mate Raphinha in Wednesday’s opening league-phase match against Feyenoord.

Yamal produced the decisive moment before the third minute had been completed, sending a pass to Raphinha, who drove forward, dribbled past Feyenoord defenders and finished to score the opening goal.

According to Opta, the assist took Yamal’s Champions League goal involvement to 21. He has scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in the competition.

That moved him clear of Real Madrid striker Mbappe, who recorded 20 goal contributions during his teenage years in the Champions League.

Opta posted: “21 – Lamine Yamal now has 21 goal involvement in the UEFA Champions League (11 goals, 10 assists); the outright most by a teenager in the competition’s history, overtaking Kylian Mbappe’s 20. Prodigious.”

Yamal’s record-breaking contribution came only hours after he appeared to respond to Mbappe’s comments about their respective chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.

During a news conference on Monday, Yamal was asked whether he deserved to win the award.

“I don’t think I need to say that I deserve the award, I don’t think about it,” he said.

“I am proud of my team and my national team, we are world champions and I cannot ask for more than that. It is your job (the journalists), and I will not start begging for something.”

Those remarks were interpreted as a response to comments made by Mbappe 24 hours earlier, when the Real Madrid forward spoke confidently about his own chances of claiming the prize.

“I have a feeling that I am capable of winning it this year, which is why I have not moved away from this goal… If I had the chance to vote, I would vote for myself,” Mbappe said.

Yamal, who has established himself as one of Barcelona’s leading attacking players despite his age, has now added another major Champions League record to his rapidly growing list of achievements.

His latest assist also ensured that his contribution was immediately reflected in the competition’s all-time teenage statistics, with the 21-year-old? Wait. Need not say age. We must avoid contradiction, Yamal is teenager but no age needed. Rewrite last sentence.