Sports
Yamal's Double Against Valencia Pushes Him Past Rodrygo in Career La Liga Goals
Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal scored twice in a 5-0 victory over Valencia, lifting his career La Liga goal total to 34 and surpassing Real Madrid's Rodrygo, who has scored 33 league goals in his career. The milestone came after just three matches into the 2026-27 season, during which Yamal has already netted four goals.
Yamal reached this tally in 105 La Liga appearances. He made his league debut in the 2022-23 season at 15 years, 9 months and 16 days old, becoming Barcelona's youngest player in a century. Rodrygo, by contrast, has needed 191 La Liga appearances since arriving at Real Madrid in 2019-20 to reach his total.
The Brazilian forward posted four seasons with 30 or more appearances between 2021 and 2025, but a torn ACL and meniscus suffered in March 2026 restricted him to 18 games last season. His recovery timeline remains uncertain, as does his role under Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho given the club's depth at attacking positions. Rodrygo's best goalscoring season came in 2023-24, when he scored 10 league goals. Yamal, meanwhile, scored 16 goals last season alone and is on pace to exceed that mark this campaign.
Ahead of this season, Yamal was named one of Barcelona's five captains through a player-led vote, making him the club's youngest-ever captain. His profile has risen further following his performances at the 2026 World Cup, where Spain won the title.
Under head coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona's attacking approach—often without a traditional striker—has opened space for players like Yamal to increase their scoring output. Currently, teammate Raphinha leads La Liga with six goals in three matches, but Yamal's overall impact on Barcelona's attack remains significant as the young forward continues to develop into one of the sport's most prominent talents.