FC Barcelona and Real Madrid clashed in Matchday 35 of 38 in La Liga, a pivotal showdown that all but decided this season’s champion. Barcelona emerged with a thrilling 4–3 comeback victory, and while Lamine Yamal stood out on the pitch, he also sparked curiosity off of it—fans and teammates alike began referring to him as “Ryan.”
Real Madrid took early control at the Santiago Bernabéu behind a scorching start from Kylian Mbappé, who netted twice in the opening minutes. But Barcelona responded quickly. Defender Eric García cut the deficit before the 20-minute mark, setting the tone for a back-and-forth classic.
Lamine Yamal, already causing problems down the flank, delivered the equalizer with a stunning solo effort—proving once again why he’s hailed as the “wonder kid”… or lately, “Ryan.”
The match came down to the wire. Mbappé completed his hat trick to momentarily draw Madrid level, but Raphinha’s clinical second-half brace—both off sharp collective play—sealed the win for Barcelona. Despite the loss, Mbappé remains the league’s top scorer.
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona.
Why “Ryan”?
Following the game, Yamal posted on social media: “Mm, Ryan scored (like this one too),” to which the official FC Barcelona account replied: “Goal, Ryan.” The nickname left fans puzzled—until a viral video provided answers.
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Earlier in the week, a clip surfaced showing Yamal taking a photo with a group of people who didn’t recognize him. When asked his name, the teenager casually replied, “Ryan.” The moment exploded across social media, and the nickname stuck—if only playfully.
Yamal reflects on Clásico moment
Despite scoring in one of the biggest soccer games of the season, the 17-year-old remained grounded and self-critical after the final whistle. “Barça is the club of my life. To play in a Clásico and score a goal—it’s incredible,” Yamal told reporters. “But we could’ve scored more today.”
That mindset reflects the maturity and winning mentality that have defined his meteoric rise. So far this season, Yamal has tallied three goals and two assists against Real Madrid, and 40 total goal contributions across all competitions—staggering numbers for a player who’s still just 17.
