Lamine Yamal tops young goalscoring record surpassing Kylian Mbappé with Barcelona strike

Lamine Yamal is on track for the most productive season of his young career, delivering performances that continue to break long-standing records. With his latest goal for Barcelona, the 18-year-old has moved to the top of a young goalscoring mark previously held by Kylian Mbappé.

On Saturday, Barcelona faced RCD Mallorca on La Liga Matchday 23, looking to extend their advantage at the top of the table. In a dominant 3-0 victory, Yamal made his mark by scoring the second goal, firing a left-footed strike from outside the box in the 61st minute after a pass from Dani Olmo, a goal that secured his place in the history books.

With his strike against Mallorca, Yamal became the player with the most goals scored in Europe’s top five leagues before turning 19 in the 21st century. Mbappé previously held the record with 23 goals, but the Barcelona winger has now moved ahead with 24.

Mbappé made his Ligue 1 debut at just 16 during the 2015-16 season, scoring once before exploding onto the European scene the following year. In his second campaign, he recorded 15 goals and 11 assists in 29 appearances for AS Monaco. After moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017-18, he added seven more goals before turning 19, cementing his status as one of world soccer’s brightest prospects.

Since making his Barcelona debut during the 2022-23 La Liga season, Yamal has steadily earned his place not only as a regular starter, but as one of the game’s most impactful young players. Across 92 appearances in Europe’s top five leagues (all in Spain’s top flight) he has tallied 24 goals and 31 assists, highlighting his influence as both a scorer and creator.

Why was Yamal subbed off?

Yamal’s record-setting rise is no coincidence, but rather the result of his current peak form. Riding a streak of five consecutive matches with a goal, the teenager has posted 15 goals and 13 assists in 30 appearances across all competitions during the 2025-26 season, though concern emerged when he was substituted against Mallorca.

Asked about the decision, head coach Hansi Flick explained the move after the match: “We also have to manage his minutes. At the moment he’s enjoying playing football, but in the first half he wasn’t at his very best. He saved his energy for the second half and scored, and that’s OK.

“I asked him for the change, he gave a thumbs up, and he was fine,” Flick added. Barcelona now turn their attention to the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Atlético Madrid, where the German coach will be hoping to have Yamal operating at full strength.