The historic email that snatched future Ballon d’Or candidate from Espanyol to Barcelona | OneFootball

In January 2015, a seven-year-old boy was making waves at CF La Torreta, a small club based in La Roca del Valles, Barcelona.

Born in July 2007, his talent on the pitch was already impossible to ignore, attracting attention from some of the biggest youth academies in Catalonia.

Coaches and scouts had started taking notice, recognising that this young footballer had exceptional potential.

Among those closely following his progress was Oscar Hernandez, who at the time was working as the coordinator of FC Barcelona’s under-10 team. He had been keeping tabs on this promising young player, convinced that he had come across a special talent.

A story that could have changed everything

However, in February 2015, he learned that CF La Torreta was on the verge of finalising a collaboration agreement with Espanyol.

Realising that time was of the essence, Hernandez decided to act quickly. He sent an email to Marc Serra, who was formerly in charge of La Masia, urging him to arrange a trial for the youngster as soon as possible.

He knew that if Barcelona did not move fast, the player could slip through their fingers and end up joining Espanyol instead. That boy was Lamine Yamal.

Now, in 2025, he is 17 years old and regarded as one of the best footballers in the world.

The historic email

Recently Jijantes revealed the email Hernandez had sent, shedding light on how Barcelona secured one of their most prized talents.

The message made it clear that there was a small window of opportunity to bring Lamine Yamal to La Masia before Espanyol formalised their agreement with CF La Torreta.

“We want him to come and try the child born in 2007. LAMINE YAMAL NASRAQUI EBANA (Prebenjamín “A”). At most in two weeks he would be here,” read the email.

Following the email, Barcelona wasted no time. They arranged for Lamine Yamal to take part in trial matches, ensuring that they got ahead of Espanyol in the race for his signature.

“We must do this management during this week since this club during the month of February will sign a contract of collaboration with Espanyol. Greetings, Oscar Hernandez,” it added.

By the age of 15, he had already made his first-team debut for Barcelona under Xavi. Meanwhile, Hernandez has since moved on from Barça’s youth setup.