It is rare for any club to produce a world-class superstar from its academy even once in a generation. For Barcelona, and La Masia in particular, it has happened twice in the past 30 years. Lamine Yamal is now emerging as the latest world-class prodigy, with the teenager looking to follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi by chasing the same blend of silverware and scoring records.
The Spanish international is now back to full fitness, with his form in 2026 underlining that return. He has registered five goals and two assists in seven appearances, a sharp contrast to a first half of the season disrupted by physical issues, off-field gossip and close attention from defenders. Having come through that difficult spell, Yamal now looks ready to spearhead Barcelona’s push for domestic honours.
Yamal scored his 39th goal in Blaugrana colours against Albacete in the Copa del Rey this week, moving him ahead of a former Barcelona star renowned for his technical brilliance on the world stage.
Passing the record
Yamal has overtaken Diego Maradona's goal-scoring record for the club at his young age. The Argentinian, famous for the Hand of God goal, scored 38 goals in his two years at the club after he arrived for a then world record fee of $7.6 million in 1982, demonstrating his technical brilliance under César Luis Menotti.
While Yamal’s goal tally inevitably invites comparisons to Diego Maradona, the statistics tell two different stories of brilliance. It took the young Spaniard 135 matches to eclipse the total set by the Argentine icon, a mark Maradona reached in a staggering 58 games. That efficiency remains a testament to the 1986 World Cup winner’s sheer dominance during his brief but electric tenure in Catalonia.
However, any definitive comparisons remain premature. For the journalists, former teammates, and fans who witnessed Maradona grace the Camp Nou in the 1980s, his technical ceiling remains unparalleled. There is also the "what if" assessing the history: had Maradona not departed for Napoli, Yamal would likely be chasing this record for several more seasons.
Yet, the context is shifting. While Maradona was a fleeting comet in Barcelona’s history, Yamal represents the club’s long-term future. With his sights set on a "one-club" career, he isn't just chasing individual records, the winger is beginning a climb up the all-time scoring charts that could eventually see him stand alone at the summit.
In Yamal’s crosshares, he can certainly surpass Romario, Johann Neeskens, Luis Figo, Ronaldo Nazario and Gary Lineker in the club’s history by the end of the year.