Lamine Yamal contract: Soccer phenom signs extension with Barcelona
Lamine Yamal – the 17-year-old phenom taking the soccer world by storm – has signed a six-year contract extension to remain with FC Barcelona through 2031, the Spanish club announced on Tuesday.
'The future is now' was the caption on a Barcelona social media post announcing the news. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed, but Yamal is expected to be among the club's highest-paid players.
Yamal is coming off a breakthrough season where he scored 18 goals with 25 assists, helping Barcelona win the Spanish treble of LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa. Barcelona also reached the Champions League semifinals, where they were ousted by Inter Milan.
Yamal joined Barcelona when he was 7 years old, and made his professional debut with the club at 15 years old in April 2023. He will turn 18 on July 23. Yamal will be 33 years old when his new deal ends.
Let's dance. Until 2031. pic.twitter.com/Hfwy0TtOol
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 27, 2025
More: Cristiano Ronaldo bids farewell to Saudi Arabia. Could he play in Club World Cup?
His previous deal, which included an astronomical buyout of $1.05 billion, was signed in 2023 lasted through the 2026 season. Because of his age, Yamal was permitted to sign a three-year deal at the time.
Yamal became the youngest player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or – considered the most prestigious individual award in the sport – after helping Spain win Euro 2024 last year.
He is expected to be nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or when nominees are announced in August. This year's award ceremony will be held on Sept. 22.
More: Baptized by Messi? How Lamine Yamal's baby photos went viral during Euros, Copa America
Baby photos of Yamal with former Barcelona star and Argentine World Cup champion Lionel Messi continue to go viral on social media. Yamal was just a few months old, while Messi was 20 years old, when the photos were taken in 2007 by freelance photographer Joan Monfort as part of a calendar photoshoot organized by Diario Sport and UNICEF, the photographer told the Associated Press last year.
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A post shared by MOUNIR NASRAOUI (@hustle_hard_304)
Yamal has also gone viral in social media posts featuring his 2-year-old brother Kenye. Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, is from Morocco, while his mother, Sheila Ebana, is from Equatorial Guinea.
Like Messi, Yamal started his Barcelona career with the No. 19 jersey and is expected to change to No. 10 next season.
While Barcelona isn't one of the 32 clubs participating in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer, Yamal will easily be one of the most exciting players to watch with Spain during the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lamine Yamal contract: Phenom signs new deal with Barcelona
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Soccer's greatest legends remind us of the universal power of the game to unite, inspire, and thrill. Their contributions to soccer go beyond goals and trophies—they've given us moments of pure magic and helped the beautiful game capture the hearts of fans around the world. Related Articles: About the Authors: Richard D. Harroch is a Senior Advisor to CEOs, management teams, and Boards of Directors. He is an expert on M&A, venture capital, startups, and business contracts. He was the Managing Director and Global Head of M&A at VantagePoint Capital Partners, a venture capital fund in the San Francisco area. His focus is on internet, digital media, AI and technology companies. He was the founder of several Internet companies. His articles have appeared online in Forbes, Fortune, MSN, Yahoo, Fox Business and Richard is the author of several books on startups and entrepreneurship as well as the co-author of Poker for Dummies and a Wall Street Journal-bestselling book on small business. He is the co-author of a 1,500-page book published by Bloomberg on mergers and acquisitions of privately held companies. He was also a corporate and M&A partner at the international law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. He has been involved in over 200 M&A transactions and 250 startup financings. He can be reached through LinkedIn. Dominique Harroch is the Chief of Staff at She has acted as a Chief of Staff or Operations Leader for multiple companies where she leveraged her extensive experience in operations management, strategic planning, and team leadership to drive organizational success. With a background that spans over two decades in operations leadership, event planning at her own start-up and marketing at various financial and retail companies. Dominique is known for her ability to optimize processes, manage complex projects and lead high-performing teams. She holds a BA in English and Psychology from U.C. Berkeley and an MBA from the University of San Francisco. She can be reached via LinkedIn.
