For Yamal to start in the match against Italy, Spain faces a fine of 30,000 euros because of Germany's youth protection law.
At just 16 years and 338 days old, "football prodigy" Lamine Yamal made history in Spain's 3-0 victory over Croatia last weekend, becoming the youngest player in history to appear at EURO. . Yamal has had an impressive 2023-24 season for Barcelona and enters EURO 2024 with a lot of expectations.
Yamal started in Spain's two group matches, against Croatia and Italy, but German rules put Spain at risk of being fined 30,000 euros ($32,000) after the match with Italy.
The German Youth Protection Act prohibits people under 18 from working after 8 p.m. Spain's first match starts at 6:00 p.m. (local time), but the match against Italy starts at 9:00 p.m.
There is a special rule in German law that allows athletes to work until 11pm. The match ended at about 10:45 p.m., plus post-match interviews may have exceeded the specified time frame. This could be considered a violation of the act, meaning Spain could very well be eligible for a fine.
Yamal emerged as one of the outstanding young players at EURO 2024, with speed and maturity beyond his age. He started both of Spain's matches, helping La Roja win an early ticket to the round of 16. This player has trained since childhood at Barcelona's famous La Masia academy, and is expected to be the future of the club and Spanish football.