FC Barcelona has always been renowned for possessing some of the greatest talents in world football. The Catalan giants do not simply purchase the brightest young pearls either, but are hailed for their own youth products. Yet, despite having seen many prodigies grow, Barcelona can still be caught by surprise.
Such was the impact of young Lamine Yamal on not just Barcelona but the entire footballing world. At first, a 16-year-old talent being labelled as a generational one given what he showed himself to be capable of. Even now, at 17, he already has a resume full of accomplishments that even seasoned veterans would envy.
His biggest achievement last season, beyond the wonders he produced for Barcelona, was ultimately winning the European Championship while being one of the tournament’s most impactful players across the board. As a result of this, the young La Masia prodigy ended up being nominated for the Ballon D’or this year.
In doing so, he becomes the youngest ever player to feature in the top 30 of the Ballon D’or itself, yet another record that he can add to his ever-growing collection. Consequently, he also featured on the cover of the latest edition of France Football, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, and gave an interview to accompany the feature.
The young Barcelona gem talked about many things, including who his idol was, as well as his love for football and how it has always been a constant for him no matter what:
“I always had my ball with me. I remember taking it to school in a bag and kicking it around until I got to class. When I arrived, I would hide it in my backpack because the teacher wouldn’t let me leave it on the desk. I’ve always been with a ball.”
He also revealed that in his childhood, the youngster used to play with dogs on the street because his father would encourage him:
“I played a lot with them (dogs) because my dad said they wouldn’t bite me.”
Moreover, he says that it helped him develop as a player as well and hone his skills because:
“…playing against a dog is the hardest thing you can do.“
Ultimately, however, it also evolved into being a much more impactful experience for him because he says that playing against these dogs and even much older players helped him overcome any sort of fear when it came to playing against bigger opponents:
“Playing on the street took away the fear of playing against bigger opponents… In the end, I always played with my friends, and the opposing teams were 20 years old while I was 11 or 12. So, that took away a lot of the fear and allowed me to enjoy and play against anyone. All of this helps you grow, even if you don’t think it does. It always helps because when you see someone bigger than you, you know how to take them on and dribble past them so they can’t get you.”
However, he made sure to give Barcelona the due credit for making him a much more complete player than just a skilled dribbler who excelled in taking his opponents on:
“When I came from La Torreta, I had that one-on-one ability, that directness and everything, but I didn’t have control of myself. Knowing when to play quickly or slowly, playing as a team… all those things you ultimately learn at Barça, which is the club that knows best how to utilize players for that.”
The player’s words seem to directly reflect his actions and the way he plays on the field as well. Regardless of the defender infront of him, young Lamine Yamal continues to shine for both Barcelona and Spain every time. Ultimately, it is no wonder that this fearless prodigy is now the youngest ever name to appear on the final Ballon D’or nominees short list.
