Lamine Yamal has added yet another piece of silverware to his illustrious young career, securing the 2025-26 La Liga title to bring his trophy count to seven, all before his 19th birthday. With such unprecedented production at such a tender age, the question naturally arises: how do these numbers stack up against the early-career hauls of legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?
On Sunday, May 10, Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the final El Clasico of the 2025-26 campaign, a result that officially clinched the La Liga crown for the Blaugrana at home. Barcelona currently sit at the summit with 91 points through 35 matches; with a 14-point cushion and only three games remaining, they have mathematically eliminated Los Blancos from title contention.
The 2025-26 La Liga triumph marks Yamal’s second trophy of the season, following the Spanish Super Cup victory in January where Barcelona edged Real Madrid 3-2 in the final. While the Cules fell short in both the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, stifled in both competitions by a resilient Atletico Madrid, the team’s evolution into a powerhouse under manager Hansi Flick is undeniable.
Furthermore, Yamal’s meteoric rise hasn’t been a one-season fluke; his statistical output has climbed alongside his tactical importance. The 2025-26 campaign has been a career year for the youngster, as he has racked up 24 goals and 17 assists. No longer just a creative playmaker, Yamal has transformed into Barcelona’s primary scoring threat and the most dangerous attacker in the league.
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona celebrates with teammate Marc Casado after defeating Real Madrid.
Yamal’s trophy breakdown
With his 19th birthday not arriving until July 13, Yamal’s trophy cabinet currently holds seven major honors at just 18 years and 10 months old. His collection includes six titles with Barcelona and one historic triumph with the Spanish national team:
see also
Lionel Messi picks Lamine Yamal as the player who most resembles his younger Barcelona self
- 2022-23 La Liga (Barcelona).
- 2024 Euro (Spain).
- 2024-25 Spanish Super Cup (Barcelona).
- 2024-25 Copa del Rey (Barcelona).
- 2024-25 La Liga (Barcelona).
- 2024-25 Spanish Super Cup (Barcelona).
- 2025-26 La Liga (Barcelona).
Lionel Messi’s trophy cabinet at 18 years old
As left-footed graduates of La Masia, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal share more than just a developmental pedigree. However, at Yamal’s current age, the Argentine was still in the early stages of establishing himself as a regular starter, rather than the undisputed face of the franchise.
Before turning 19 in June 2006, Messi had captured four major trophies with Barcelona—three fewer than Yamal. His haul included back-to-back La Liga titles (2004-05, 2005-06), the 2005 Spanish Super Cup, and the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League. While he featured in six matches during that European run, a hamstring injury forced him to watch the final stages of the tournament from the sidelines.
Internationally, Messi also secured silverware at the youth level. In 2005, he led Argentina to a victory over the Netherlands to claim the FIFA U-20 World Cup. He famously swept the individual honors at that tournament, taking home both the Golden Boot as top scorer and the Golden Ball as the competition’s best player.
Leo Messi of FC Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s trophy cabinet at 18 years old
Compared to the Barcelona duo, Cristiano Ronaldo’s breakthrough into the elite tier of trophy winners occurred slightly later in his professional development. At 18 years of age, the Portuguese star held only the 2002 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (Portuguese Super Cup) with Sporting CP, a match in which he was an unused substitute during a 5-1 rout of Leixões.
Ronaldo also claimed the Toulon Tournament with Portugal’s U-20 side in June 2003. Unlike Yamal and Messi, Ronaldo’s birthday falls mid-season (February 5), meaning he turned 19 in early 2004, just as the European season reached its business end.
If we account for his age-19 season (2003-04), he added the FA Cup with Manchester United to his resume, marking his second major trophy. That year remains a famous footnote in soccer history; while Ronaldo was finding his feet at Old Trafford, the Red Devils were bounced from the Champions League by Jose Mourinho’s Porto, and the Arsenal “Invincibles” denied him a Premier League title in his debut English campaign.
