Spain's Yamal Becomes Youngest Player to Appear in European Championship

Spain's forward #19 Lamine Yamal runs with the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Croatia at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 15, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
Spain's forward #19 Lamine Yamal runs with the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Croatia at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 15, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
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Spain's Yamal Becomes Youngest Player to Appear in European Championship

Spain's forward #19 Lamine Yamal runs with the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Croatia at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 15, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
Spain's forward #19 Lamine Yamal runs with the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Croatia at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 15, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

Lamine Yamal became the youngest player ever to appear at a European Championship on Saturday when he started for Spain in its tournament-opening game against Croatia.
Yamal was 16 years, 338 days. The previous record-holder was Kacper Kozlowski of Poland, who was 17 years, 246 days in 2021 when he played against Spain.
He set up Álvaro Morata for Spain's first chance early on.
It's Yamal's eighth appearance for Spain. He played 47 games in the Spanish league and Champions League for Barcelona last season.
Yamal will turn 17 the day before the Euro 2024 final on July 14 in Berlin.



South Korea Coach Takes Swipe at Bayern Munich Over Kim Injury

Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (L) in action against Kim Min-jae (R) of Bayern during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich, in Leverkusen, Germany, 11 March 2025.  EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (L) in action against Kim Min-jae (R) of Bayern during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich, in Leverkusen, Germany, 11 March 2025. EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL
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South Korea Coach Takes Swipe at Bayern Munich Over Kim Injury

Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (L) in action against Kim Min-jae (R) of Bayern during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich, in Leverkusen, Germany, 11 March 2025.  EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (L) in action against Kim Min-jae (R) of Bayern during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich, in Leverkusen, Germany, 11 March 2025. EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL

South Korea's coach on Monday hit out at Bayern Munich over their handling of Kim Min-jae after the defensive stalwart was ruled out of crunch World Cup qualifiers with an Achilles tendon injury.

The 28-year-old center-back missed Bayern's 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday and is also out of South Korea's 2026 qualifiers against Oman and Jordan, AFP reported.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said last week that Kim will be out for "several weeks".

Speaking ahead of the home game against Oman on Thursday, South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said that "Munich failed to properly protect him in terms of injury prevention".

"Kim Min-jae is an extremely important player not only for his club Bayern Munich but also for our national team," Hong told reporters according to Yonhap news agency.

"Just because a match is important doesn't mean it's right to have Kim on the pitch," he added.

Hong said there had been "continuous signs" since last year that Kim was struggling with injury.

"We were fully aware of that," he said.

Victories against Oman and again at home to Jordan on Tuesday next week will send South Korea to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Kim is an ever-present for his country with 69 caps.

He moved to Bayern from then Italian champions Napoli in the summer of 2023 and has gone on to make 73 appearances for the German giants in all competitions.