Lamine Yamal claims third straight men’s young player award, but backs teammate

Lamine Yamal has collected the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for a third consecutive year, adding another milestone to his rapid rise with Barcelona and Spain. The young forward thanked those who supported him after receiving the honour, but also said he felt Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí deserved the recognition. Yamal acknowledged both Barcelona and the Spanish national team for helping him reach this point. His remarks made the award moment about more than individual achievement: he used his speech to recognise the teammate he believed had also earned the spotlight and the teams that have backed him. The same ceremony also recognised Barcelona and Spain forward Vicky López, who won the Women’s Young Talent of the Year award for the second year in a row. López said she was proud and grateful, and credited her teammates for their role in her achievement. She dedicated the success to her mother, saying she owed the award to her and urging her to keep fighting and never give up. López also called for continued efforts to improve women’s football and support the sport’s growth. The honours brought together two rising talents from Spanish football, with Yamal extending his run of consecutive wins and López repeating hers. While the awards celebrated their individual progress, both recipients pointed to the people around them as part of their success.