Is Lamine Yamal playing at the Olympics? Latest on Spain and Barcelona star’s availability for 2024 Paris Games
Lamine Yamal was one of the stars of Euro 2024 as Spain became champions of Europe for a record fourth time.
The Barcelona winger, who assisted Nico Williams’ opening goal in the 2-1 final victory over England, was named the Young Player of the Tournament for his outstanding displays in Germany.
Spain will now be hoping for a double success this summer in men’s football. They are competing at the Olympics in Paris and will be bidding to win gold for the first time since their home Games in Barcelona in 1992, when Pep Guardiola was among the players in the squad.
Lamine Yamal is eligible for Spain given his age, but will he be taking part in event?
MORE: The story behind the viral photo of Lionel Messi and baby Lamine Yamal
Is Lamine Yamal playing at the Olympics?
Lamine Yamal will not be playing at the 2024 Olympic Games after being left out of the Spain squad.
While the Barcelona teenager would have been eligible as a player under the age of 23, his participation at Euro 2024 made it highly unlikely his club would then sanction his release for the Olympics, especially with their preseason plans now under way.
Lamine Yamal’s Barca teammates Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, and Fermin Lopez — who was also at Euro 2024, but played less football than the winger — are all representing Spain in Paris.
How are Olympic squads selected?
Rules on how Olympic football squads are selected feature a crucial rule on overage players, with each qualified nation allowed to name three players aged over 23 in their squad.
That restriction does not apply to women’s squads for Olympic competition.
However, head coaches can face club-versus-country battles as football at the Olympics does not feature on the FIFA international match calendar and clubs are not required to release players if they do not wish to.
Spain’s Olympic squad
Spain coach Santi Denia named a provisional 22-man training squad for the Paris Games, which is being reduced to 18. The original list is below.
Ages correct as of July 19
Name | Position | Age | Club |
Joan Garcia | GK | 23 | Espanyol |
Alejandro Iturbe | GK | 20 | Atletico Madrid |
Arnau Tenas | GK | 23 | PSG |
Pau Cubarsi | DEF | 17 | Barcelona |
Eric Garcia | DEF | 23 | Barcelona |
Miguel Gutierrez | DEF | 22 | Girona |
Sergio Gomez | DEF | 23 | Real Sociedad |
Cristhian Mosquera | DEF | 20 | Valencia |
Juan Miranda | DEF | 24 | Real Betis |
Jon Pacheco | DEF | 23 | Real Sociedad |
Marc Pubill | DEF | 21 | Almeria |
Juanlu Sanchez | DEF | 20 | Sevilla |
Alex Baena | MID | 22 | Villarreal |
Pablo Barrios | MID | 21 | Atletico Madrid |
Fermin Lopez | MID | 21 | Barcelona |
Aimar Oroz | MID | 22 | Osasuna |
Adrian Bernabe | FWD | 23 | Parma |
Sergio Camello | FWD | 23 | Rayo Vallecano |
Diego Lopez | FWD | 22 | Valencia |
Samu Omorodion | FWD | 20 | Alaves |
Abel Ruiz | FWD | 24 | Braga |
Benat Turrientes | FWD | 22 | Real Sociedad |
*Players in BOLD are Spain’s overage picks
Spain’s Olympic record
Spain won gold at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 with a team that featured Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique and Santiago Canizares. They have also been silver medallists three times.
Year | Host | France Result |
---|---|---|
1900 | Paris, France | DNE |
1904 | St. Louis, United States | DNE |
1908 | London, United Kingdom | DNE |
1912 | Stockholm, Sweden | DNE |
1920 | Antwerp, Belgium | Silver medallists |
1924 | Paris, France | First Round |
1928 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Quarterfinal |
1936 | Berlin, Germany | Withdrew |
1948 | London, United Kingdom | DNQ |
1952 | Helsinki, Finland | DNQ |
1956 | Melbourne, Australia | DNQ |
1960 | Rome, Italy | DNQ |
1964 | Tokyo, Japan | DNQ |
1968 | Mexico City, Mexico | Quarterfinal |
1972 | Munich, West Germany | DNQ |
1976 | Montreal, Canada | Group Stage |
1980 | Moscow, Soviet Union | Group Stage |
1984 | Los Angeles, United States | DNQ |
1988 | Seoul, South Korea | DNQ |
1992 | Barcelona, Spain | Gold medallists |
1996 | Atlanta, United States | Quarterfinal |
2000 | Sydney, Australia | Silver medallists |
2004 | Athens, Greece | DNQ |
2008 | Beijing, China | DNQ |
2012 | London, United Kingdom | Group Stage |
2016 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | DNQ |
2020 | Tokyo, Japan | Silver medallists |
*DNE indicates Did Not Enter and DNQ indicates Did Not Qualify
Olympic football champions
Below is the complete list of Olympic medallists in the men’s soccer tournament.
Year | Host | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|---|
1900 | Paris, France | Great Britain | France | Belgium |
1904 | St. Louis, United States | Canada | United States | None awarded |
1908 | London, United Kingdom | Great Britain | Denmark | Netherlands |
1912 | Stockholm, Sweden | Great Britain | Denmark | Netherlands |
1920 | Antwerp, Belgium | Belgium | Spain | Netherlands |
1924 | Paris, France | Uruguay | Switzerland | Sweden |
1928 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Uruguay | Argentina | Italy |
1936 | Berlin, Germany | Italy | Austria | Norway |
1948 | London, United Kingdom | Sweden | Yugoslavia | Denmark |
1952 | Helsinki, Finland | Hungary | Yugoslavia | Sweden |
1956 | Melbourne, Australia | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Bulgaria |
1960 | Rome, Italy | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Denmark |
1964 | Tokyo, Japan | Hungary | Czechoslovakia | East Germany |
1968 | Mexico City, Mexico | Hungary | Bulgaria | Japan |
1972 | Munich, West Germany | Poland | Hungary | Soviet Union |
1976 | Montreal, Canada | East Germany | Poland | Soviet Union |
1980 | Moscow, Soviet Union | Czechoslovakia | East Germany | Soviet Union |
1984 | Los Angeles, United States | France | Brazil | Yugoslavia |
1988 | Seoul, South Korea | Soviet Union | Brazil | West Germany |
1992 | Barcelona, Spain | Spain | Poland | Ghana |
1996 | Atlanta, United States | Nigeria | Argentina | Brazil |
2000 | Sydney, Australia | Cameroon | Spain | Chile |
2004 | Athens, Greece | Argentina | Paraguay | Italy |
2008 | Beijing, China | Argentina | Nigeria | Brazil |
2012 | London, United Kingdom | Mexico | Brazil | South Korea |
2016 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil | Germany | Nigeria |
2020 | Tokyo, Japan | Brazil | Spain | Mexico |