Lamine Yamal is the new kid on the block. The Barcelona prodigy, since debuting for the Catalunya club, has continued to enchant the football world with a flicker of his genius.

Beyond the buzz, what do you know about the Barça star dubbed the 'Next Messi'?

Yeah, he's Spanish-born but of African descent! 

He was born in Mataró, Spain, on July 13, 2007, to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother.

And that's all? 

Here are some other important things to know about Lamine Yamal.

Who's Lamine Yamal Idol?

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal idolizes two Barça superstars: Lionel Messi, whom he'll be facing in the 2025 finalissima final.

Lamine Yamal's second idol is Neymar Jr. A few days after winning Euro 2024 in Germany, where he was also honored with the Young Player of the Tournament and Best Goal of the Tournament awards, the Barça star wore an epic Neymar Santos shirt on holiday in Greece to further prove his loyalty to the Barça legend.

What did Neymar and Santos say?

Neymar Jr. immediately strolled to Instagram to acknowledge Lamine's impressive gesture by reposting it on his Instagram story with the caption "GRANDE."

Santos on their official Instagram page extended an invite to Lamine, asking him to visit Brazil and experience by himself where it all began for Neymar before heading to the United States to link up with Barca on their pre-season tour.

Here's the English version of the invite:

“This shirt is very historical, Yamal. We will give you the new shirt. If you prefer, you can come to Vila Belmiro and take the opportunity to visit the hallowed stadium of world football during your vacation. Cheers in black and white, Nino de la Vila!” 

Who's Lamine Yamal's wife?

Lamine Yamal isn't married yet. The 17-year-old is rumored to be dating influencer Alex Padilla, whom he's never shy about flaunting on social media.

Pictures of Lamine and Alex Padilla 'love up' were everywhere for all to see during the Euro 2024 celebration together with Lamine's family.

The Barça prodigy was also spotted with Padilla on a boat cruise on Kos Island in Greece for a summer break.

What's Lamine Yamal's salary?

As per Capology, the Young Player of Euro 2024 earns €32,115 in estimated base salary (P/W).

According to SPORT, renowned transfer agent Jorge Mendes has demanded Barcelona increase Lamine Yamal's pay; this came after his admirable display in Euro 2024.

FC Barcelona have reportedly hearken to Lamine's agent's request for an increment. The club has everything planned to raise Yamal's salary in 2026, when his current contract ends.

When did Lamine Yamal debut for FC Barcelona?

Lamine Yamal, under former manager Xavi Hernandez, debuted for FC Barcelona in April 2023, aged just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days, in a 4-0 win against Real Betis, making history as the youngest player ever to represent Barça.

Yamal has so far made 51 appearances for the Catalunya giant, scoring seven goals and providing 10 assists.