Teenage sensation Ansu Fati makes history at Barcelona

Teenager Ansu Fati, who hails from West African country Guinea-Bissau, has made history by becoming the second-youngest player in the Spanish giants’ history to play for the first team.

With the famous Spanish champions hit by injury problems, including a missing Lionel Messi, Fati, at 16 years 298 days, took his chance.

He came onto the field as a second-half substitute in Barca’s La Liga 5-2 victory against Real Betis at the weekend and made an immediate impact.

He came close to scoring, just missing the goal with a shot, and then gave ace striker Antoine Griezmann a pinpoint assist which had he scored would have given him a hattrick.

Besides Messi, Barcelona were without such big names as Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez.

This prompted manager Ernesto Valverde to make the decision to send Fati onto the field.

Valverde is using the club’s academy to groom new stars and Fati responded with a mature display.

Despite his young age, Fati is more than two years older than the previous player who holds the club record.

That belongs to Albert Almasque, who turned out for Barcelona just before his 14th birthday way back in 1902!

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo