It’s hard to believe that Lamine Yamal is still just 18 years old, and coming off a year in 2025 where he transformed into the next big global superstar.
Some would say he deserved to beat Ousmane Dembele
for the Ballon d’Or. Regardless of where you fall in that debate, Dembele won the award while at his peak, and likely won’t get there again, while Lamine is now expected to be in the conversation as the world’s best player every year going forward.
And he has a lot of years in front of him.
So far this season, Lamine has best tested. The first test was how he would react to the fame, and the pressure that comes with being a superstar.
Lamine does things with the ball, regardless of whether it’s good for his team in the moment, that are certainly good for the game of football. So many people are excited by his potential because of the magic that he alone seems to possess. Fans will pay to see him play because he has the audacity to try the impossible.
That can also be a catch-22.
Lamine knows all eyes are glued to him every time he touches the ball. The question is whether his actions are for show, or if he is making decisions that are in the best interest of team success.
You might ask the question, what would Pep Guardiola say if he were coaching Lamine Yamal?
I’d think he would tell his young superstar that to be the best, first and foremost, you shouldn’t ever be wasteful with the ball. Cherish and protect every opportunity. Lamine is not Messi, but if he wants to be the best player of his generation, one lesson to learn is to aim to make the game look easy.
Messi was 22 years old when he won his first Ballon d’Or. Cristiano Ronaldo was 23 years old, while Ronaldo Nazario was 21, making him the youngest player ever to be crowned the best on the planet.
Lamine doesn’t need to break that record. He needs to take his time with his development, and he needs to be block out the noise from the fans and the haters alike.
That’s another thing we’ve learned about Lamine. For as many people who love him and what he offers the sport, there has been a growing number of cynics who are waiting for him to fail and fall short of those great expectations he has set for himself.
Hansi Flick needs to do what he can to protect Lamine, and explain to him that he doesn’t have to be superman. He just has to do his job to the best of his ability in whatever role he is given. He can trust that he has great teammates that can share the responsibility of winning games.
He has great role models he could learn from.
Robert Lewandowski never won the Ballon d’Or, but he might have if it wasn’t canceled due to Covid in 2020. Still, he has been one of the best strikers of his generation, and continues to be play at a high level at the age of 37 because of his dedication as a professional.
Raphinha is another teammate who Barcelona will hope can impart some widsom.
The two play the same position, albeit in very different ways. Raphinha’s example of hard work and never taking anything for granted is invaluable for the younger players on the Barcelona roster to see. Some football purists believe that the Brazilian was a worthy candidate as the best player in the world a year ago.
Lamine, it must be said, is still putting up very good numbers this season, and honestly, that should be good enough for him, and Barca fans alike.
He’s at his best when he’s playing relaxed and free, and he’s at his worst when he’s forcing plays, in large part, perhaps, because so many people have come to expect the incredible every time he touches the ball.
If he focuses on doing the simple things right, and doing it consistently, we will see more of those magical moments when his team needs it the most.
Messi had Xavi and Iniesta, and Lamine has Pedri, and many other great players around him.
For Lamine to get back to his Ballon d’Or best in 2026, he would do well to rely more on his supporting cast.
If that happens, Barcelona will be a force to be reckoned with as well.
