Published : 06 Sep 2026, 03:00 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:48 AM
Barcelona have locked in a five-man captaincy structure for the 2026-27 season, and 19-year-old Lamine Yamal has landed a spot in it, according to Goal.com.
Raphinha and Pedri take the first and second captaincy slots, handpicked directly by manager Hansi Flick, the football website said on Saturday, citing Mundo Deportivo.
The remaining three places went to a dressing-room vote, with teammates putting their faith in Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong and Yamal to round out the leadership group.
The shake-up became “necessary” after Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ronald Araujo both departed on loan over the summer, leaving a gap in the dressing room's chain of command.
Flick had already sketched out his preferred leaders before the Joan Gamper Trophy, back when the squad was still being pieced together, the website said.
He reportedly locked in Raphinha and Pedri at the top, then let the players themselves settle the rest.
Garcia's inclusion speaks to the quiet respect he has built through sheer professionalism and graft, per Goal.com.
De Jong, meanwhile, now carries the mantle of senior statesman, the most experienced head left in the squad following Ter Stegen's exit.
Yamal's rise into the captaincy fold at just 19 is nothing short of a statement.
Sporting the iconic number 10 shirt, his elevation owes nothing to seniority and everything to raw influence on the pitch, where his authority already speaks for itself.
Barcelona have handed the armband to prodigies before.
Two years ago, Gavi grabbed it off Pedri during a comeback outing against Sevilla at 20 years and 76 days old, making him the club's second-youngest captain in a competitive fixture.
The outright record belongs to Bojan Krkic, who skippered the side in a 2010 Copa del Rey tie at 20 years and 56 days old.
But Yamal cracking the official five-man hierarchy at 19 sets him apart, cementing his status as the beating heart of Flick's project.
With the leadership question settled, focus now shifts to Sunday's tricky La Liga trip to Valencia.
Flick's build-up has hit a snag after Yamal skipped Saturday's final training session without warning, throwing his availability for the Mestalla clash into doubt, Goal.com reported.
Barcelona will be desperate to keep their unbeaten domestic record intact, but doing it without their sharpest attacking weapon is a different challenge altogether.
