Rising Star: Lamine Yamal of Barcelona Shows Why He Could Be the Best Soccer Player in the World
As he sprints down the field, Lamine Yamal looks like any other 17-year-old soccer player. He wears braces, has a boyish grin, and is still in the midst of his secondary school exams. But when he steps onto the pitch, he transforms into a force to be reckoned with.
On Tuesday night, Yamal showed the world why he might be the best soccer player in the world. He ghosted past two Benfica defenders with a single feint, setting up Raphinha for the opening goal of the Round of 16 second leg. Then, just 16 minutes later, he drove away from goal and flipped a curling shot into the far corner.
Barca went on to beat Benfica 3-1 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate, and Yamal has been doing this kind of work for over a year now. He's contributed to 45 goals for club and country since last February, and he's only 17. When he helped lead Spain to a European championship last summer, he was talked about as "the future." But now, with his impressive performances in the Champions League, it's clear that he's here now.
His teammate Gavi, who plays alongside him for both Spain and Barcelona, said in January that "Lamine, for me, is the best today." There's a hesitance to anoint him as the best in the world because there are other great players with more extensive résumés. But Yamal leads La Liga in assists and goal-creating actions, and his progressive dribbling numbers are nearly on par with those of Vinicius Jr. Some of his on-ball skills are mind-boggling, and he's already made a ridiculous list of "defenders I made look silly."
And he's not just a one-man show. He's making teammates better too. He's contributed to Raphinha's career year and helped prolong the exploits of Robert Lewandowski. He also defends, and is doing all of this within a Barca team that might be the best in Europe and the Champions League favorite, in large part thanks to him.
Yamal is on a Messi-like trajectory, which doesn't mean he'll equal the GOAT—careers aren't linear, and injuries can interfere—but it's no longer an outlandish thing to say. And although he probably doesn't quite have the "best in the world" throne yet, he very well could by the end of the year.
Yamal is a true rising star in the world of soccer, and his incredible journey is just beginning. The future looks bright for this young talent, and we can't wait to see what he accomplishes next.
