Lamine Yamal has been awarded the Di Stéfano award by Marca as the 2024/2025 La Liga Player of the Season.
In a ceremony held on November 20, 2025, in Madrid, FC Barcelona’s prodigious winger Lamine Yamal was honored with the Alfredo Di Stéfano Trophy, Marca’s esteemed accolade for the best player in La Liga during the 2024/2025 season.
At just 18 years old, Yamal became the youngest-ever recipient of this award, which is named after the legendary Argentine forward Alfredo Di Stéfano, a five-time European Cup winner and Real Madrid icon who revolutionized the game in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Di Stéfano Trophy, presented annually by the Spanish sports daily Marca since 2008, recognizes not just individual brilliance but sustained excellence across the league season, voted on by journalists and experts.
This victory underscores Yamal’s meteoric ascent, edging out heavyweights like Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé—who netted 31 goals to claim the Pichichi (top scorer) title—and Vinícius Júnior, as well as Barcelona teammates Pedri and Raphinha.
Yamal’s 2024/2025 campaign was nothing short of transformative for Barcelona, who clinched the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and mounted a strong challenge in the UEFA Champions League under new manager Hansi Flick.
The teenager featured in 35 league matches, delivering 9 goals and a league-leading 15 assists—numbers that highlight his evolution from a raw talent into a complete playmaker.
His creativity on the right flank dismantled defenses with pinpoint crosses, visionary passes, and moments of audacious skill, contributing directly to over 20 Barcelona goals.
Defensively astute for his position, Yamal also averaged 2.1 tackles per game, embodying the high-pressing ethos Flick instilled.
His season-long consistency earned him monthly accolades, such as La Liga’s Best Under-23 Player in August and February, and Player of the Month in September.
As Flick himself noted post-ceremony, “Lamine isn’t just a player; he’s the spark that ignited our revival.”
The Di Stéfano win caps a trophy-laden 2024/2025 for Yamal, building on his earlier feats: Ballon d’Or Runner-Up (2025), trailing only Rodri, with his nod as the second-best player globally at 17 highlighting his Euro 2024 heroics, where his assist in the final sealed Spain’s triumph; La Liga Best Under-23 Player (2024/2025), voted by fans and experts; Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year (2025), awarded in April for his explosive emergence; Kopa Trophy Winner (2024 & 2025), dominating the Ballon d’Or’s young player prize consecutively; and FIFA Puskás Award Contender (2025) for his jaw-dropping solo goal against Espanyol, a 60-yard dribble and finish that evoked Messi’s prime.