The young Barcelona star, Spanish international Lamine Yamal, aged 18, was crowned the Best Young Athlete in the World at the Laureus Awards ceremony held in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on Monday.

Yamal expressed his great happiness after winning, saying: "I am very happy to receive this award, it is a great honor for me. I would like to thank the academy, my family, my mother, father, and grandmother, my colleagues, and the team that always accompanies me."

He added, "I also congratulate Carlos Alcaraz. I am very happy and hope that this award will help me continue at this level, as I still have a long way to go."

The ceremony witnessed Alcaraz being crowned as the Best Athlete in the World, while German star Toni Kroos received the Sports Inspiration Award, following a distinguished career that concluded at the end of the 2023-2024 season.